Tech Talk: Using technology to have a happy Halloween

Ah, autumn — true autumn. The days are feeling shorter (not just because of our midterms and assignment due dates creeping up) and the nights are getting longer (again, those deadlines are coming). The leaves have started to change and there’s a crispiness to the air. This can only mean one thing — spooky season is upon us. (Back off Christmas; you have your time.) For those who, like myself, want to indulge in the festivities but have abhorrent amounts of social anxiety, what are we to do?

Luckily technology has our back and can offer a window between us and the rest of humanity, if you’re an introvert especially or wish to experience something new without having to travel. 

Something that brings us all together is getting spooked, our primal fears being preyed upon in a good natured night of trick-or-treating. But at a certain age, it’s frowned upon, and all I know is I have adult money to buy all the candy I want anyway. I digress. How can technology help you still have a spooky time while not interacting with the public? I’ve discovered virtual haunted tours. These tours are a great way to explore some of the world’s famous haunted houses, villages, and locales. 

One such service that can be made use of is the Haunted Walk. For a nominal fee, you can join a haunted ghost walk through some of the most famous haunted places like Salem, Massachusetts and other spooky places. If you’re into history, local or otherwise, this could be a great way to learn something new while having a spooky experience. 

What if you have a group of friends from around the world that want to indulge and hang out? Another thing that has gained popularity is streaming. That’s to say, watch parties. Enter Teleparty; you just need to download the browser app, have a Netflix account (or basically any streaming service account) and you and your friends can watch the latest horror movies without needing to leave your homes! It’s a great way to watch content with friends and family even if you’re separated by distance. The service will automatically synchronize across all users, so you can all react to jump scares simultaneously.

These are just a couple suggestions on how we can leverage our technology to still have some fun this Halloween without leaving the house. Even if we’re busy and have assignments and midterms to prepare for… now that is spooky. 

Sean Horn

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