The sound of Halloween music and the rustle of candy wrappers filled the Student Center as students gathered for this year’s Boo Bash on the evening of Oct. 31.
Hosted by the Flash’s Activity Board, in collaboration with the Center for Student Involvement, the event offered a cozy, creative way to cap off the campus Trick-or-Treat celebration with a mix of Halloween nostalgia and community spirit.
Now in its second year, Boo Bash was designed to give students a chance to relax, connect and celebrate Halloween together while strengthening campus community.
“Boo Bash is an event that we started alongside with the Trick-or-Treat that CSI started last year,” said Elizabeth Pomarico, a junior applied mathematics and French major and vice president of FAB. “This year, it has crafts and a photo opportunity with Lewis [the pumpkin statue]. We have some cool decorations, and we also have mocktails and some cookies.”
The event served as a space for students to embrace the season’s fun while giving international students an opportunity to experience the traditions that define an American Halloween: costumes, food and the excitement of trick-or-treating.
“I hope specifically international students kind of get a feel of what trick-or-treating and Halloween is for domestic students,” Pomarico said. “That’s kind of the point of the Trick-or-Treat and bash.”
Inside the room, laughter could be heard as students gathered around tables scattered with various Halloween-themed crafts and activities. The cozy, lighthearted atmosphere reminded some attendees of childhood celebrations.
“It kind of feels like an elementary school Halloween party,” said Morgan Rockhold, a sophomore political science major. “So that’s mainly why [I came].”
Others came for the treats and the sense of community. Anna Miller, a sophomore anthropology major, said her favorite part of the night was simple: “The mocktails.” She laughed as she held her drink: one of the Halloween-themed refreshments that added a fun twist to the evening’s festivities.
For FAB, the event represented more than Halloween festivities; it was a way to strengthen the community through shared experience and creativity. Pairing the trick-or-treat with Boo Bash gave students of all backgrounds, especially international students, an opportunity to connect and take part in a distinctly American tradition.
Through events like this, FAB continues to foster joy and belonging across campus, one seasonal celebration at a time.
As students packed up their crafts and finished the last of their cookies, the spirit of the evening lingered: a mix of nostalgia, friendship and fall excitement. For Pomarico, that feeling is exactly what makes the event special.
“I hope people feel excited and happy,” she said. “Halloween’s a great time of the year. I love the fall, I love Halloween and it’s great to see everyone enjoying it together.”
Alexis Hood is a reporter. Contact her at [email protected].