As we approach Halloween 2025, students are again faced with the age-old dilemma of getting the joy of the spooky season with academic responsibilities. This dilemma will feel even more heightened this year, as Halloween falls on Friday, October 31, and you may want some of the rest of the weekend to also be Halloween-themed. Regardless of wanting fun with Halloween, the fun of the spooky holiday is in direct opposition to a very busy period of academic responsibilities - midterms, due dates, assignment - but the good news is there is no need for one or the other. By planning ahead and managing your time wisely, you can finish your assigned work for the week, and also find a way to participate in Halloween fun.
Start Planning Two Weeks Early
To prepare early in order to have a crazy Halloween while keeping up with your studies, we suggest planning in advance. On October 15, start writing a list of everything you will have to do: your tasks, due dates, and exams upcoming. Whether you use a planner or app (Notion or Google Calendar), it will help to have all your work visually in front of you. You also should color code your tasks based on due dates from Halloween: red will be due before Halloween, orange will be due the week after Halloween, and green for dates further out.
Prioritize Your Workload
Assignments are not all created the same way. You want to be on the lookout for which assignments are of equal value in your final grades so you can fixate on first and foremost what is most relevant. For example, if you have a, notably, major paper worth 30% towards the final grade and if you have a minor homework assignment worth 5%, you immediately know what you should spend most of your time on. To be money, you should concentrate on the heaviest weight of assignments to engage with more in the weeks leading up to Halloween.
The Power Week Strategy
October 20-26: Your Intensive Study Period
Concentrate on studying and finishing assignments within the week leading up to Halloween. The target should be at least 80% of the work load should be completed that week. Plan the study sessions carefully; focus on doing 90-minute study sessions with breaks of 15 minutes. This disciplined approach to studying, the Pomodoro method, is shown to improve retention of material while decreasing the chance of burnout.
Smart Halloween Day Time Management
The Morning Productivity Block
Please do not start celebrating on October 31st, and please do not sleep in! We ask and encourage that you wake up no later than 8 a.m. and dedicate 2-3 hours of serious study. Take full advantage of the productive time in the morning that this can provide you to accomplish the rest of your workload, then you can enjoy the afternoon and evening celebrating Halloween.
Costume Preparation Efficiency
Making a large scale DIY costume can take anywhere from 10-15 hours, which can also be difficult to find in our busy school year. So, pick something that is fairly quick and easy and can be made in 2 hours or less. Some examples of common and quick and easy ideas are a t-shirt that says "Error 404: Costume Not Found", dressing like a popular social media app, or making a pun-related costume that could be made with little or no prep work.
Technology Tools for Success
Essential Apps for Student Balance
Assignment Tracking
Maintain thorough lists of assignments in Todoist or Microsoft To Do. Bigger projects can be unbundled into action items and, once completed, they are complete! There is sufficient visual forward movement to motivate and ease feelings of overwhelm.
Focus Enhancement
The Forest App turns studying into a game by allowing users to grow virtual trees while they devote periods of time to work. However, if you check your phone or browse social media, your tree dies. This straightforward mechanism actually serves as a powerful way to keep focus level higher during Halloween week, when Instagram feeds hint with photos of costumes and Facebook invites promote parties.
Calendar Blocking
Assign a chunk of time to engage in studying and a separate block of time to engage in Halloween. When you’ve selected a chunk of time, treat it as an obligation you cannot change. For instance, when you say between 2-5 PM that you’re studying, then you’re studying and nothing else. Likewise, when it is time to party between 7-9 PM, you are there and engaged without guilt.
Mental Health and Balance
Eliminate the Guilt Trap
A lot of students suffer from guilt over studying while friends are celebrating or celebrating while needing to study or work on assignments. This mental distinction is a trap that limits both the enjoyment of celebrations, and the efficiency with which they can study. I encourage you to give yourself permission to enjoy Halloween, once you have completed your scheduled work. Taking a mental stance like this removes and alleviates the guilt, which can help you to enjoy both pursuits more fully.
Protect Your Sleep
Resist the urge to stay up all night whether you are studying or partying. The brain needs 7-8 hours of sleep to function well. One good solid night of sleep will do more for the quality of your assignment than three hours of tired writing. Have a 10 PM cut-off time, whether in the library or at a party, for getting into bed by 11 PM.
Party Smart Strategy
It does not take attending a Halloween-related event to have a fun and enjoyable experience, so choose 1-2 that are meaningful for you (e.g. your apartment party, your friend's event, a campus event, etc.). It is far more enjoyable to go to whatever events you choose and enjoy them rather than go to a bunch of events and not enjoy yourself because you are too exhausted from socializing and your schoolwork.
The Two-Hour Rule
If you have things due Monday, November 3rd, follow the two-hour rule for a party or social gathering. Arrive there, talk, do activities, and leave after two hours. This is enough time to social fulfill, and not enough time to deplete your energy and time that should go toward whatever you might still need to do for school.
Conclusion
Halloween 2025 will be a non-decision between not doing well in classes or having fun. With intention, planning, energy and time ripple effect, and effective productivity tools, you can accomplish both! You can begin preparing 2 weeks ahead of Halloween by thoughtfully prioritizing high-leverage assignments and supporting your wellness by focusing on sleep and stress management strategies. Following these more rigged means, your Halloween can include doing your assignment, while making the fun memories.