Halloween hits campus

In last-ditch efforts to find the "Great Pumpkin," picking through the nearly bare shelves of Target and KMart for a costume and finding enough time to finish schoolwork and still go out, members of the IU community are preparing for tonight's festival of ghosts, goblins and ghouls.\nHalloween has spooked many on campus to take part in the age-old tradition of trick-or-treating. But this year, many students are stepping away from going door-to-door with plans that vary from tradition.\nSenior Neena Patel, who had planned to attend a party Tuesday, said she might opt to do something else.\n"I might go owl watching," Patel said. "I have friends who took this biology class where they learned different bird calls. So they have this tape of territorial owl calls, and last time they went they said an owl swooped down on them. I really want to go."\nBut some students are sticking close to the traditions of dressing up and going out.\nSophomore Heather Eisner said she plans to go as a country club tennis player to a costume party at a fraternity.\nGreek houses on campus sponsored "Safe Halloween" Tuesday, giving Bloomington area children an opportunity to trick-or-treat in a safe environment.\nSenior Amanda Smith, vice president for special projects for the Panhellenic Association, said the program brought in almost 200 more children and parents than last year.\n"We sent out fliers to all elementary schools in Monroe County," Smith said. "Nearly 1,200 parents and children came through each house along North Jordan Avenue and the Jordan extension. It offered a safe environment for children of both the Bloomington community and IU faculty." \nFreshman Snehal Shah said she plans to go trick-or-treating as an angel, though she does not plan to leave her floor.\n"I live in Briscoe and my (resident assistant) put together something for us on our floor, so I'm going trick-or-treating there," Shah said.\nSome students have chosen to consume things other than candy on Halloween. For them, some local bars are having contests and reducing coverage charges for those in costume.\nStua Bever, manager of Axis, said the club will host a special "Hot Bod" contest Wednesday for those in costume, with prizes going to those with the best get-up. Cover for those in costume will be $1 while those not dressed-up will pay $5.\nKilroy's Sports plans to host a similar costume party with door prizes and a costume contest.\nFor some students, remaining flexible with plans is the best bet.\nJunior Matt Himsel said he and his roommate plan to go to a house party, but could end up wearing their costumes out around town.\n"My roommate and I thought about going out to the bars dressed in costume," Himsel said. \nThough many students plan on spending their Halloween evening with friends and classmates, one member of the IU community said his Halloween will not be determined by him.\n"My Halloween is pretty much dictated by my four- and seven-year-old," Music School Professor Glenn Glass said. "Matthew is going as a Pokemon, and Julian is going as a vampire, though Julian also has a fireman costume on standby. My wife and I tried to persuade him, but he's set on being a vampire right now"