Halloween is looming, and you probably don’t have a costume planned. Not to worry — there’s absolutely no way you won’t find at least half of these OU themed costume ideas appealing.

A campus hammock

Maybe it’s because I (Lauren) just fell — well, more like aggressively and unintentionally rolled — out of one of these bad boys and obliterated my tailbone, but the campus hammocks are exceptional Halloween garb inspiration. It’s easy, too — just cover yourself in a ton of grass and ropes. And when you walk, make sure you ~sway~ to maintain the vibes.

Spin scooters

Don all black with a burst of orange — we suggest with a top or scarf — and spend your 31st running terrifyingly fast all over campus. Skip violently over pavement cracks and round every corner with a sharpness that’ll have yourself and others wondering — will this be the time they catastrophically wipe out? This costume works best amongst groups, of course — there’s power in numbers when it comes to braking too suddenly and having a dead battery when class is three minutes out and yards away.

The tiny cars in the parking lot that you mistake for an empty spot

I know, this one is violently triggering. Just breathe — we’ve all been there. POV: you’re panicking as you weave your way through the P1 lot. Class starts in three minutes (you’re late because you waited in the 40 minute Starbucks drive thru across the street), but alas, you see an empty spot. You feel your shoulders loosen up — it’s a new day. Oh wait, sike. It’s just someone’s tiny car pulled in all snug.

For this costume, have the squad whip out their invisible cloaks (available at the Hogwarts gift shop — super accessible). Because no, we can’t see your tiny car parked there. So no, it’s not our fault when we ram into it after mistaking it for an empty spot.

Campus construction sites

Take the “you’d look good in a cardboard box!” compliment to new levels by drawing on some bricks and embracing the seemingly eternal age of construction here at OU. Your friend can wow in a sash of caution tape, serving up their best Wilson Hall. If you let things really get down to the wire, you can even sport your everyday attire and call it South Foundation Hall-chic — as that one never really seems to look any different, though we are told it’s under construction.

The jazzy Slim Chickens chicken

You know the chicken — the one lurking on our chicken tenders packaging? The one you’d expect to say, “you like jazz?” in a dusty speakeasy? The chicken holding the guitar, looking down mysteriously with the suspenders and private investigator-esque hat? Rumor has it his name is Slim, though I can’t confirm it. Plus, it’s more spicy when the chicken’s true identity is a mystery. But honestly, that chicken has really been through it with us this year. It’s seen all of us crying about our overdue essays in the darkest corners of the Oakland Center as we slam our vanilla milkshakes. That chicken WILL be there for you. And that chicken DESERVES to be your choice for a Halloween costume.

An Oakland Post employee the first week of September 2021

You might recall the extremely peaceful, not at all chaotic, totally clear and on schedule start to the fall semester this year. This spooky season, pay homage to the general state of being for Post employees that week — cover yourself in a sea of Slack message cut-outs, cramp up your fingers, and forgo a few hours of sleep to really achieve that Postie glow. To go that extra mile, commit to the role mentally by sending countless emails and rotting your brain for hours on various social platforms… and you’ll settle into just the same insanity— preparedness we were all feeling.