Panhellenic’s Spooky Night Out
Author: Isa C. / Editor: Ariana W. / Photographer: Sophia P.
From bats to unlucky black cats, Halloween is a perfect way to kick off the holiday season quickly approaching. Halloween is known for its spooky atmosphere and sweet treats, and The Not So Spooky event put on by Panhellenic encompassed the fun spirit of being a sister during one of the most popular and nostalgic times of the year.
This past October, Florida State’s Panhellenic association decided to host an event celebrating community within sisterhood in the lower level of the Student Union. As a way to encourage sister bonding, one of the activities hosted when you first entered the event was to write a “boo gram” to someone in the Greek community, whether it be a fun message to a friend or a touching letter to someone who impacted your experience at FSU. Writing this message revealed the intricate ties sisters have with each other, proving to be a great way to show appreciation. In exchange, you’d receive a fun Halloween-themed shirt to commemorate the first-ever Not So Spooky event and the bonding memories shared with your sisters.
This event wasn’t just about reminiscing about being a sister, but also about having fun and enjoying your time with some friends! The lower level of the Student Union held many fun activities in store for those who went including delicious sweet and savory treats, painting small clay figurines, and even bowling in the Bowling Center. A DJ also played catchy music as sisters mingled with one another, enjoying the festivities and Halloween decorations. Additionally, one of the elements that made this event so special was that it wasn’t just open to the Panhellenic Council, but also the Multicultural Greek Council and the National Pan-Hellenic Council as well, allowing for the meaning of sisterhood to transcend.
As every good Halloween party should, there were many sisters dressed in their best costumes. Payton P (Chi O) came to the party dressed as a fish, accompanied by her on-theme friend, Anna L (Kappa), who dressed as a lobster. Katelyn J from Gamma Phi demonstrated some amazing makeup skills by dressing up as Scar from the Lion King. Even the members of the Panhellenic Executive Council (Panhellenic Exec) stepped up their game, each one dressing as minions from the Despicable Me series, with President, Rocio C, dressing as Gru. It was very entertaining to watch everyone interact with one another, either walking up to someone unfamiliar to compliment their costume or meeting up with a sister in a different chapter and put a Halloween spin on the whole event.
Alex S, Vice President of Programming on Panhellenic Exec, created this event with one goal in mind. “My hope for an event that allows women from all three Greek Councils to get together is to build connections and friendships through the entire community.” That was certainly the case as well. It seemed there was at least one representative from each chapter on campus present at the event. When asked about her opinion on the event so far, Hannah W from AOii, explained how this type of party was a perfect way to connect with her past friends. “I was a Rho Gamma and I got to see others I know… you can be isolated as a chapter and these events really help break that.” She met one of her closest friends, Leah (AXO), while they studied abroad in Italy together, and this event was something that both of them could share.
The Not So Spooky Halloween party brings together people you wouldn’t normally talk to. From sitting next to someone while painting a ceramic gnome or sharing a bowling lane, there’s sister interaction everywhere. With so many things to do, this event really had something to offer everyone - from showing off your painting skills to absolutely destroying your friends in a game of bowling. Everywhere you looked, there were smiling faces and conversation brewing in the air, showing the true meaning of what it's like to be a sister.