The CUNY SPS Office of Student Life hosted its first virtual Halloween celebration on October 19 via Zoom, beginning with a selection of spooky hits and a round of Halloween trivia, followed by a costume contest.

The trivia round covered all things Halloween, including one question about Halloween starting outside the United States, from a country that’s most associated with shamrocks and March holidays — Ireland! After trivia concluded, the party held its costume contest, which saw students dressed in costumes ranging from glamorous to goofy. Only one student by the name of Angela Buchanan-Bruno, who dressed up as a nurse, was voted for best costume that evening.

Parshotam Lal, CUNY SPS’ Student Life coordinator, expressed the importance of a virtual Halloween party to create a relaxing environment for students in the middle of midterm season. Although student turnout was expected to be higher, the positive atmosphere and engagement was uplifting.

The event wrapped up with a screening of the Halloween classic “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!” which marked the successful end of CUNY SPS’ first virtual Halloween party. Plans are underway for the Thanksgiving and Winter events, according to Lal.