Spring Break
A survivor's guide to Halloween in IV
Isla Vista is the major Halloween party area for California colleges.
Nick LaFluer
Issue date: 10/27/04 Section: Opinion
Halloween is a special time of year for the Santa Barbara area. It's a special time of year for me as well because this is my third, and probably my last, Halloween in Isla Vista.
What can I say about Halloween in Isla Vista to those who have never experienced it before? Well I could start by saying if you drink, drink before you go out. You will not be able to find alcohol at the parties. Do not give the police any reason to suspect you of any crime no matter how minor it may be. They will arrest you on the spot, and the steel benches in the county jail are not very comfortable to sleep on.
Around 30,000 people are expected to converge on IslaVista over Halloween weekend. That means there will be absolutely no parking at all for the entire weekend.Also there will be long lines coming out of every restaurant you might have a desire to eat at.
If you don't like crowds or can't stand overcrowding don't come to IV. Get out for the weekend or you will be miserable. There is a persistent rumor that Halloween in IV could easily turn violent as it did in 1987 when over 50,000 revelers ran amuck in the streets. That won't happen again because our good friends in law enforcement will make sure of it.
Last year there was over 100 cops in Isla Vista, rumored to be getting paid $200 an hour (that's vastly more than soldiers on the front lines in Iraq get for those of you keeping track) were hired to keep the huge crowds under control for the night. You can be sure their going to do whatever they need to do to keep IV safe when their being paid wages like that.
If you are a girl, then Halloween could become somewhat hazardous for you. Most likely at some point during the night some drunken guy will probably walk by you and try to grab your ass. At the very least some drunken guy (who will obviously be upset over not being considered attractive or desirable to the opposite sex) will shout obscenities at you.
If this happens I would urge you to take the approach that my girlfriend's roommate took last year-punch him in the face. One hard blow to the nose will shut him up and hopefully teach him a lesson about manners and dignity as well.
What can I say about Halloween in Isla Vista to those who have never experienced it before? Well I could start by saying if you drink, drink before you go out. You will not be able to find alcohol at the parties. Do not give the police any reason to suspect you of any crime no matter how minor it may be. They will arrest you on the spot, and the steel benches in the county jail are not very comfortable to sleep on.
Around 30,000 people are expected to converge on IslaVista over Halloween weekend. That means there will be absolutely no parking at all for the entire weekend.Also there will be long lines coming out of every restaurant you might have a desire to eat at.
If you don't like crowds or can't stand overcrowding don't come to IV. Get out for the weekend or you will be miserable. There is a persistent rumor that Halloween in IV could easily turn violent as it did in 1987 when over 50,000 revelers ran amuck in the streets. That won't happen again because our good friends in law enforcement will make sure of it.
Last year there was over 100 cops in Isla Vista, rumored to be getting paid $200 an hour (that's vastly more than soldiers on the front lines in Iraq get for those of you keeping track) were hired to keep the huge crowds under control for the night. You can be sure their going to do whatever they need to do to keep IV safe when their being paid wages like that.
If you are a girl, then Halloween could become somewhat hazardous for you. Most likely at some point during the night some drunken guy will probably walk by you and try to grab your ass. At the very least some drunken guy (who will obviously be upset over not being considered attractive or desirable to the opposite sex) will shout obscenities at you.
If this happens I would urge you to take the approach that my girlfriend's roommate took last year-punch him in the face. One hard blow to the nose will shut him up and hopefully teach him a lesson about manners and dignity as well.