Molly Ashline
  Staff Writer

While the youngsters are out trick-or-treating with their cool store bought costumes or their cooler homemade ones, and the older people are partaking in more adult treats, UNC-Greensboro’s Science Fiction Fantasy Federation (SFFF) will be celebrating the spookiest holiday in the Virginia Dare Room of the Alumni House.

Along with the Japanese Club and the Video Game and E-sports Club, SFFF will host a Halloween Extravaganza starting at 6 p.m.

Amber Handy, the SFFF president, said that the spooky spectacular is about,

“Giving people a safe place to have fun with their friends on Halloween.”

Handy emphasized that having a safe space for people to gather on Halloween is important, as horror stories of razor apples and guys in white masks brandishing kitchen knives surface in the news.

Not that the SFFF plans on having everyone sitting around with their hands in their laps. There is a menagerie of activities in which to partake.

The first part of the evening will more or less be a story hour.

“We will open up the floor for any students or guests to tell their own spooky story, real or otherwise,” said Handy.

While there may not be a Lovecraft or other mystery-maker in the crowd, it may be a good opportunity to explain how the Minerva and McIver statues have suddenly come to life. Or was that just the googly eyes?

After the goblins, ghouls and ghosts have retreated back to the story pages, the rest of the evening will continue to tantalize.

The Video Game and E-sports Club is responsible for a scare booth and a game tournament, and the Japanese Club will direct a costume contest. The Japanese Club has previously hosted fashion shows and other costume-oriented affairs at places like the Asian Autumn Festival.

If this sounds like a miniature comic convention so far, it might have something to do with the coordination of the three clubs.

“We’ve been meaning to do something together for a while now, but we just haven’t had the opportunity to,” explained Handy.

She went on to talk more about the relationship of the three clubs, describing it as something that formed through mutual interests.

“For the most part, we all know each other because the interests of our groups bleed into one another. We all have something that binds us together even though we focus on different things,” said Handy.

That sentiment is reflected in the diversitThe SFFF and the other clubs also understand the power in timing. The event only runs until 10 p.m., so people can come, get judged on what they are wearing, eat handfuls of candy and leave with a whole night awaiting them.

“We’re not preventing people from making their own plans later in the evening,” said Handy.

That’s right, people will be free to roam the streets in the late evening, scaring children and throwing toilet paper on buildings — or whatever kids do these days. But even so, Handy alluded to the fact that it might be okay to turn in early on Halloween.

“We’re hoping that people will decide to come to this event to have some down time with their friends. We’re nearing the end of the semester and school has us all stressed out. Being able to take a breather will be nice,” she said.

A sugar rush might also help with the nice factor. After all, chocolate makes everything better, even the crushing weight of exams and term papers.

When asked about her costume, Handy repeated that sentiment.

“I’m more about candy than dressing up,” she said.