Hey, I was just curious about the possibility of this happening. Basically, in Heridon Copper, his university arranges a halloween party where people dress up in whatever costume they felt like. Would this be believable in a college setting? Or is this more of a childhood thing? Would it also be fesible if parents were also invited? I thought of having the Copper gang dressed up as historical figures as their personal theme. Heridon Copper- A Roman Emperor. Matt McDonnan- German soldier from WWI. (to celebrate his forefather.) John Grouse- ??? Holly Morrison- ??? Sandra Morrison- ??? Kamiko Yamamoto- ??? Toby McGraw- Billy the Kid. So, let's brainstorm what the others could wear.
College Halloween parties consist of costumes, loud music and lots and lots of drinking. Costumes yes. In fact, you'll probably be forced to do something (chug, striptease etc) if you lack a costume when costume-wearing was clearly stated in the facebook invite. Parents invited -- NO. The only way it might be feasable for parents to be invited is if it's a party for something formal, like a college church group or academic association -- even then it's highly unlikely that parents would be invited, and if they were, people still wouldn't bring their parents to a college party. Parents are welcome at things like honor award recognition ceremonies, etc, but something like this would likely not have a Halloween theme -- maybe some Halloween decor if it happened to be on Halloween, but not overboard and no costumes. Now, if it's crucial for your story for the parents to be there, it could be a party held at the home (the hometown home, where the parents/siblings live, not the college-town home) of a college student home on vacation for the weekend - it could be something where some neighbors and close friends are invited, but it wouldn't get too rowdy with a bunch of parents around. However, the atmosphere of such a party would be vastly different from that of a normal college party (or normal college costume Halloween party) even if there's social drinking involved. About ideas for what your other MCs would wear, I don't know because I don't know their personalities, and that affects what they'd choose. Ideas anyways: Thomas Jefferson Ben Franklin Abe Lincoln A pioneer A Native-American from the prairie-settling days, with feathers and arrows etc Sacagawea Hitler/Stalin/Mao or some other dictator (not that anyone would actually admire the person, but you know, as a joke) Some modern politician, usually in satirical form EDIT: I just reread your post again. You say "his university throws a party." This doesn't happen - an entire university doesn't organize a party. That's up to the individual frat, sorority, student org, student who hosts it at their apartment, etc.
Ah, I see. So I should probably change it to a student (maybe one of my protagonists) who arranges the halloween party at his/her apartment/dorm-room complex.
I am not familiar with Haloween parties (hear say only) but you could also think of a theme party, where the dress code is related to a theme like mafia, wild-west, the roaring twenties, rock-and-roll, flower-power, ....
Link, no one holds dorm parties except dorky freshmen who think getting 5 friends together and sneaking alcohol counts as a party. The apartment parties are where it's at.
Well, shows you what I know about college life. I don't live in a college (only go to one), so I wouldn't know. Glad you're telling me this. Question: What year would the students have to be in order to live in an apartment complex? Is it paid by the university or do the students have to pay? How is it different from the dorm rooms?
In an apartment, you and your roommate(s) split the cost of living. You pay for it on your own. You can have anywhere from zero roomates to 5 or 6, whatever you want really, and you can have same-sex roommates or co-ed. Usually you have 2 or 3 roommates and everyone has their own room. Rent is anywhere from $250-$700 a month, college average probably around $400/month. You don't "have" to be any age. Some people get apartments as freshmen, but most move off-campus sophomore or junior year. Others live in the dorm their whole college career.
One thing to keep in mind in terms of the whole "college scene" is it seems to be one of those holidays (at least nowadays) that can be associated with girls dressing as scantly clad as possible for the pure hell of it. This is just an observation I've made over the past three years...
Interesting. Very interesting. To be honest, I only considered this because I'd thought it be hilarious for one of my characters to run around in a WWI German soldier uniform. Is there any other way I can get him into a WWI German soldier uniform (besides setting it in WWI, as I'm sure some might post that)?
lol, good point. Still, where would he even get one? I doubt Walmart has a discount on "uniform for those who want to look like soldiers for the Kaiser!!" XD
...Maybe he's participating in a fellow student's film project or something, and has to wear a WWI costume for that, then for some reason ends up wearing it in other situations?
I did not think of that. Very good point. He wears it and maybe during the Halloween party (which is where the climax begins), he wears it again...and ends up wearing it for the rest of the book. I wonder what class he'd have to take for that?
Lol - Link, no class is going to require that you wear a WWI costume for the semester. That's not what Aesch is suggesting - I think he just meant that maybe your MC is acting in an ameteur movie for a weekend, and then after the film shoot someone is like "Hey, we're having this party, and it's Halloween anyway so just wear what you've got." By the way, you can get any kind of costume online. You don't have to rely on Walmart.
I see. That makes sense. Then Matt could wear it for the party and that's when the climax happens. Knowing there's not enough time to properly change back to more modern-day clothing, he continues wearing the WWI costume.
Well, it's significant to Matt because his great-great granddad fought in WWI for the Kaiser. To him, he's remembering his great-granddad by wearing the WWI uniform and the helment his great-great granddad wore. @ Joel- Heh, now that'd be funny. Maybe his gf dresses as a WWI nurse. XD
As an extension of the dress up game they played as kids , college age females are way more into the Halloween party thing than the dudes . The away from home at college setting liberates the girls to dress infinitely more slutty than they would back home , ya dig ..... you will find the dudes motivation is rooted in seeing the chicks dressed , as opposed to going all out themselves in so far as costumes ....dig ?
