OCR Text |
Show Editorial MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2011 3 THE SIGNPOST Remembering the 'true spirit' of Halloween Remember what Halloween meant to us when we were little? October was a full-fledged holiday season to us, with as much magic and excitement in the atmosphere as there was during December or the last week of school. We exchanged costume ideas almost competitively with our friends, eager to dress up as the cooler or prettier character. We couldn't wait until the night when our parents said we could go costume-shopping (or, for some of us, when our parents or grandparents started making our costumes). We relished browsing the costume selection at Toys R Us, comparing the merits of dressing up as something cute or glamorous versus something unique or scary. That was before we even took the price factor into account, though our parents probably found subtle - or not-so-subtle - ways to steer our inclinations into cheaper waters. When we found the perfect costume, it was like siblings or a group of friends, finding the perfect engage- some of whom would join us ment ring; we just knew it was when we got to their houses. meant for us. We had our flexible routines, At home, we modeled our the houses we traditionally viscostumes, determining any ited first, the houses we knew alterations that needed to be would give the best candy, the made, trying to ignore the fact houses we knew would give us that they were itchy or smelled toothbrushes, the rich-people funny (those masks were the streets that boasted the coolest worst offenders). We couldn't decorations, the people who wait to report our Halloween would invite us in and give us identity to our friends, or to cider or hot chocolate, the peoshow off our costumes at our ple who told us to take as much class party. as we wanted, and that And then there was Halone house that loween night itself. We always had a It was watched through the "corpse" lywindows for the first j about being in the trick-or-treaters and bushes coming somewaited for the first that would one else for one ring of the doorbell, only jump night of the because that meant out at us it was late enough to when we'd year. . . start changing into our decided it costumes. Some of our wasn't going to moms fussed over whether this time. we'd be warm enough, and We'd start out with so much we'd roll our eyes and insist energy and enthusiasm, but that we would be. We set out eventually realize that we were with either our parents and indeed cold, that our costumes ENPLEC9 QuEgnow 110ELIEVARE ME! Look Into Financial Efficiency Cole Spicker • The Signpost columnist WIT 111E i&15 E1IER TO GE- TUROUGN 'MAN TIE SECURE' I really like holidays. Well, all of them but Halloween. Sorry, folks, no adapted ghastly poems about a Chevy here. Not today, at least. I can already hear the cries. "But today is Halloween," they'll say. To rephrase a nowdefunct character in the former hit Glee, Sue Sylvester states that Halloween is a holiday in which parents encourage their little boys to dress up like little girls and their little girls to dress up like ladies of the night. I kind of agree and give props to those individuals who craft original costumes. You will go far in life. Another way to go far in life, you ask? You and I may not harbor the talents to design costumes reminiscent of Tron or Pirates of the Caribbean or even Tim Burton's epic The Nightmare Before Christmas. is, however, another way to succeed in life, another path you can pave. And this magical journey all begins with your wallet. College is, for the majority of students, the first chance to make financial decisions on our own. Often, these decisions can have lifelong impacts and can serve as a foundation for future financial-related deThere Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor News Editor Sports Editor Photo Editor Business Editor The point is that, while we wax poetic about the "true spirit" of Christmas and other holidays and Halloween is dismissed as a pagan holiday for children, Goths and heathens, there is also a "true spirit" of Halloween. On the one hand, for all the gruesomeness and tastelessness Halloween often represents, many of us might also associate it with a certain innocence and some of our best childhood memories. Halloween captured our young imaginations, and still does. It was about becoming someone else for one night of the year, sharing that experience with friends and family, venturing fearlessly through the streets after dark, feeling a sense of belonging and community as neighbors and strangers alike joined us on the streets or beamed at us when they opened their doors to our outstretched hands. Sitting at home and watching our slasher movies seems kind of lame by comparison. Comment on this column ai wsusignpost.corr, L.I.F.E.'s Lessons INNING! ••■=1•Mnper were just too uncomfortable, that our feet were tired, and we really didn't need any more candy anyway. The time it took us to realize this got shorter every year. Dumping out our candy at home was often the best part. Some of us would sort it into piles all over the living-room floor and compare hauls with our siblings or friends. That dang Tootsie Roll pile was always the biggest and the least touched (though a few people at least had the courtesy to give us the flavored kind), and most of the candy bar piles consisted of "fun-size" bars (whatever candy bar company originated that label either had a sick sense of humor or thought kids were really confused about the word "fun"). We gasped and showed it off when we stumbled across a king-size bar or a rare treat like a popcorn ball. We ate the best candy first, and over the next week would subsist on our remaining Snickers and Three Musketeers. Spencer Garn Stephanie Simonson Kasey Van Dyke Nathan Davis Bryan Butterfield Cole Spicker 626-7121 626-7614 626-7655 626-7983 626-8071 626-7621 The Signpost is a student publication, written, edited and drafted by Weber State University students. Student fees fund the printing of this publication. Options or positions voiced are not necessarily endorsed by the university. cisions. In other words, NOW you have got to look good for is the best time to develop the those girls (or boys)! At an interright skills for a financially se- est rate of 18 percent and paying monthly minimum payments of cure future. Most high school students $20, this student will incur an have a little spending money, additional $860 of debt - solely either from a part-time job or from interest. What's more, this an allowance. This can pres- particular student will finish his ent a problem, since few stu- bachelor's and master's degree dents are faced with "real-life" before paying off this acquired living expenses. As such, high debt. Of course, minimum payschool students can easily start ments will only become more their way down a rocky path expensive if he continues to use of developing spending habits that piece of plastic. that become unrealistic when If you're a student and choose they must support themselves. to have a credit card, try to get Once down that high-spending one with a lower spending cap path, it can be an arduous, even and use it only for emergencies. strenuous task Issues of health or provisions - to demonamongst other basic needs - strate selfneed to be met and are of NOW is restraint. extreme importance. Credit the best time A recards, if managed propto develop the cent naerly, can be of great benefit tionwide when trying to attain exright skills for a survey ceptional credit scores. So, financially sediscovthe bottom line: If you get cure future. ered that a credit card, be financially the majority sharp! of college stuIf you fall under the category of having a financially burdensome dents possess three credit cards with an average habit (girls, 4-5 pairs of shoes are balance of $1,000. Many stu- all you need! Boys, one or two dents reported that they did burritos will suffice for dinner - not feel like they were spend- not a dozen), seek the necessary ing "real money" when us- help. If you feel your parents can ing credit cards. Furthermore, help you, call them. Take some many feel that as long as they financial literacy courses here at are meeting minimum pay- Weber. If all else fails, make an ment requirements, they are in appointment with a counselor at good shape. However, let's con- your college or university sider the following situation: Only good can come from An incoming freshman col- finding a way to remove those lege student goes on a shop- habits that drain your wallet. ping spree and decides to make the purchases on the handyComment on this column ai dandy credit card . . . after all, wsusignpost.corr, Features Editor A&E Editor Copy Editor Adviser Ads Manager Office Manager Jerrica Archibald Kory Wood Alexandria Waltz Shane Farver Shelley Hart Georgia Edwards 626-7105 626-7624 626-7659 626-7526 626-6359 626-7974 The Signpost reserves the right to edit for reasons of space and libel and also reserves the right to refuse to print any letter. Letters should not exceed 350 words. Letters should be submitted online to thesignpost@weber.edu and read Letter to the Editor in the subject box. |