How To: Navigate Halloween Weekend

Last Halloween weekend, I got drunk because a guy I liked refused to meet me at the bar. I spent the entire night dancing, hitting on as many guys as I could find (most of their girlfriends accidentally spilling their drinks on me) and whining about how what’s his face wasn’t there.

As you can tell it was a bunch of fun.

Before you start judging me, you should know I’m not normally like that. I’m not the type of girl who will let the actions of someone else control her level of fun. But that weekend I did, and I wish I hadn’t.

We had decided last-minute to go to the local college bar’s “Halloween Party.” Then spent the hour before in Salvation Army getting 80′s gear. Because where else do you turn for quick Halloween costumes? At the time what’s his face was going to go or I was at least trying to pull out my best, most convincing lines to get him there. We had worked up to where he might be able to come – a sentence I took as “Yes, I will absolutely be there dressed as an 80′s prince charming.” Then it was an 30 minutes until last call with no sign of my “Prince.” I was upset, drunk and frustrated that once again I had been stood up by him. Obviously failing to see the pattern..

A pattern I ignored and didn’t understand until recently. It was one of those “if he wanted to be there he would.” Even if he didn’t want to be there, he would’ve just to have seen me. The only reason I’m going all “He’s Just Not That Into You” on you is because it’s right – a little bit at least. Looking at my own conversations with guys who I’m not interested in but don’t have the heart to let them down – I see that they are very different than conversations with the guys I am interested in. Usually I’ll respond with a one word responses, or make horrible excuses as to why I can’t meet them: “I’m washing my hair tonight.”

If you stop and take a look back at your similar conversations you’ll see the signs. It’s actually easy to see that he doesn’t like you, we just choose to ignore it. Because simply, who wouldn’t love you?

Anyway, back to being drunk in costume. Halloween for me is what the winter holidays are like for some people, I want to find love from a mysterious masked man. For him to sweep me off my feet and spend the rest of fall and winter by a fire drinking hot cocoa. For the record I have yet to see if this exists. But, because of my ongoing search, I’ve grown accustomed to navigating this weekend so I can get as much out of it as possible.

Step 1 : Pick a costume. Make it fun, flirty or comical – anything you’re in the mood for. It’s just to dress up like someone else for a night, so why not go all out? Pink hair, sparkly eye lashes… do it up.

Step 2: Choose your friends wisely. Some people are fun to go out with and they know how to make the best out of any situation. Other friends just sit and complain about everything. Obviously you want the first of the two. So pick the people who you always have a good time with, the ones who won’t leave you stranded, won’t get completely smashed and will keep dancing with you even if you’re the only two on the dance floor.

Step 3: Select your venue. Choosing where to go for Halloween weekend isn’t an easy sport. Are you a dancer? I recommend a bar with a dance floor. More of a social drinker? A party with friends. Pick something that you know you’ll have fun doing, and be safe!

Photo found on http://sexxtape.tumblr.com/post/11400564394