Halloween in Syracuse

Fall has already come to Syracuse. The color of the trees are changing, and as an international student, I have never seen autumn in such beautiful colors before. Experiencing several “firsts” in Syracuse makes me feel grateful and is showing me that leaving my comfort zone and coming to Newhouse is one of the best decisions I have ever made. Though the workload and fast pace are keeping me busy, I’ll never stop trying new things while I’m here. 

Where I come from, Halloween is mostly celebrated by businesses like stores and restaurants in order to increase revenue, and all I had known about Halloween were parties and costumes. I didn’t know that there were different traditions many people celebrated, or how big of a deal the holiday was. However, driving around Syracuse, I noticed that so many houses have been decorated for Halloween. The shelves in stores and supermarkets have displayed Halloween-related items since the end of September, and everyone is talking about how they want to dress on Halloween. Even the corn chips are in orange and black colors to match the Halloween theme. Suddenly, I realized it’s Halloween season, and I’ve started to look forward to celebrating. 

Last weekend, I was invited to a house for pumpkin carving. I have never seen a whole pumpkin, let alone carved it. I’ve been told that pumpkin-carving is one of the traditions for Halloween. Despite the fact that it was brought to America by Irish immigrants, this tradition has apparently been carried on by Americans. I noticed carved pumpkins on almost every porch or doorstep in front of houses. Some of them are even illuminated by the candle inside.

Gathering in the big house with friends and smelling the sweetness from the pumpkin seeds in the oven — the orange of pumpkins just like the color of Syracuse University — made me feel warm. Though I’m thousands of miles away and am trying something new, I feel like I’m home in Syracuse.