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  EDWARD LIN Second-year undeclared student Hannah Gordon passes out candy to children Wednesday, Oct. 25.

By Catherine Calleja and

Dharshani Dharmawardena

Daily Bruin Senior Staff

Even if UCLA students are no longer children, they are still taking the time to celebrate Halloween in spite of midterms looming ahead.

Though most students no longer trick-or-treat themselves, they are still participating in the age old tradition of handing out candy to young children.

On Oct. 25, students living in the residence halls took part in the annual All-Hill Halloween celebration, where they gave treats to children bussed in from Los Angeles neighborhoods.

Students could buy bags of candy, consisting mainly of Tootsie Rolls and Jolly Ranchers, for $5 from their residence assistants.

Tran Ngo, a first-year undeclared student, said she could only give out the candy to a few children, who seemed to come to the door all at once.

“I didn’t know I was supposed to give out one candy per child,” she said. “I was giving out handfuls and after five kids I ran out.”

  ANNA AVIK Kids eagerly await their turn to get candy from studnets in the dorms last week in the All-Hill Holloween event. Trying to relive their own trick-or-treat days, residents decorated their doors and hallways with ghosts, goblins and spider webs. They also filled halls with orange and black construction paper and streamers, creating specially crafted passageways for children to enter during the event.

Other students wanted to extend the tradition of offering treats to children by giving children information about Halloween safety as well.

Cindy Lee, a third-year biology and economics student, plans to spend Halloween with children she works with through the Community Outreach for Prevention and Education, a program that seeks to help at-risk youth in Venice.

“We’re just going to throw them a little party and remind them about Halloween safety at their apartment complex,” she said.

Lee said the children also participated in last week’s All-Hill Halloween as well, but they also plan to get more treats tonight.

Because this year’s Halloween falls on a Tuesday and because of midterms, many UCLA students will spend at least part of the night studying, said Mohammed Nagmi, a second-year electrical engineering student.

“I’m still going to do something late at night,” he said. “I think it’s still pretty big, but I think it’s about priorities now.

“Even though it comes once a year, I can’t do much about it because I have to think about school first and then think about Halloween and dressing up,” he added.

Elaine Esperanza, a fifth-year English and history student, said she won’t be going out at all because she needs to prepare for exams.

“I’ll be studying for a midterm and two papers due on Thursday,” Esperanza said.

Although this year’s holiday takes place on a semi-inopportune time, some students still plan to celebrate despite school responsibilities.

“I am taking four classes, working two jobs and have midterms on Thursday and Friday, but I want to have free time for myself to relax, have fun and not worry about all those college problems,” said Kamika Dillard a first-year political science and business economics student.

“I’m definitely getting dressed up in a costume, but I’m not sure what I’m going to be yet,” she continued.” I know that without doubt, I’ll be trick-or-treating in Bel-Air and then going to a party at a fraternity house”

Some students used the weekend to attend parties and dress up. Others wanted to avoid the more traditional aspects of spending Halloween on a college campus.

“I plan on taking my son trick-or-treating,” said Gina Mohammed, a fifth-year psychobiology student. “I’m excited because it will be his first time since he’s only a year and a half.”

  Fifth-year history and English student Claudia Barroso said that she and her friends are going to watch Arthur Miller’s play“Death of a Salesman” instead of going to parties.

“My friends are trying to stay away from where everybody will be at,” Barroso said. “I wanted to go to Knott’s Scary Farm, but they wanted to stay away from the crowds, so I’ll probably just watch the play with them.”

Although midterms may put a damper on Halloween this year, most college students want to carry on the tradition.

“I think because it’s a fantasy and people like to keep the tradition alive,” said Daniel Norton, a second-year neuroscience student. “It’s probably one of the few traditions left in America that people like to be involved in.”

“We all have to associate with when we were young, and if we don’t do that, then it just gets really depressing.” said Hagop Rouchanian, a first-year electrical engineering student.