As Halloween approaches on Saturday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) has created guidelines for what activities have a low risk of infection for COVID-19.

Traditional Halloween activities are some of the more high risk activities that are not recommended by the CDC. Trick-or-treating, haunted houses, and costume parties are all included in the high risk activities and should be avoided this holiday season, but students can still stay in the Halloween spirit.

“I want to stay in the holiday spirit during the pandemic because it brings joy to people, especially my family, to celebrate Halloween,” freshman Ashtyn Tierney said. “In my opinion, you can still celebrate safely. I’m planning on staying in the holiday spirit by decorating my room and my house.”

Since a few traditional Halloween activities will no longer be safe to attend, there are many alternative options to celebrate the holiday. The CDC recommends holding outdoor gatherings where social distancing is practiced. Some even safer activities include pumpkin decorating, outdoor scavenger hunts, and attending local events.

“My mom and I usually go to Knotts Scary Farm. But since the park is closed due to COVID, we are planning to go to the Los Angeles Haunted Hayride,” Tierney said. “This place is where you stay in your car and the monsters come up and scare you.”

Even though large costume parties and other conventional Halloween celebrations cannot take place this year, old traditions can still be celebrated. With limited places to go, people can still dress up and have their own costume party with families

“I’m dressing up as a hospital patient with bandages and a gown. I feel like a lot of my friends don’t like to dress up anymore but I still think it’s super fun,” sophomore Mark Casey said.

Junior Ava McCaffrey is also staying in the Halloween spirit by dressing up and participating in a group costume.

“Some friends and I are being the characters from Scooby Doo, but more modernized versions,” McCaffrey said. “I am going to be Daphne and girls on my rowing team are going to be the other characters. I am really excited this year, even though it’ll be very different than previous years.”

This year will look much different from the others, but it is a time to embrace those changes and make new traditions.

“This is such a peculiar time, but it feels nice to celebrate something normal for this time of year,” McCaffrey said. “Everything, such as the way school is structured, is a reminder that we are nowhere near normal yet and need to keep following guidelines and wearing masks to even have hope and getting back. Last October was so different from this one [but] it is comforting to [celebrate Halloween safely as] an excuse to have fun and feel somewhat normal.”