Haunted houses are a very popular Halloween favorite. Monsters jump around from every corner, making people scream and sending them into shock, pumping them full of adrenaline.

While some people love being scared this time of year, others absolutely despise it.

Michael McComb, a sophomore, described his favorite haunted house. “Creepy World is my favorite because it’s the only haunted house that is worth the money and it actually lasts awhile.”

Freshman Mark Kendrick, however, is not a fan. “The reason I don’t like them is because they aren’t really fun to me and I am very paranoid and if I get scared it will stick with me forever.”

In addition to the fear factor, the prices for the haunted houses can scare people off. Social studies teacher Mr. Fink complains, “They cost almost as much as a round of golf at a nice course, and I’d rather golf.”

According to a CNN article, haunted houses are also popular places for teens to work, “What we look for are responsible, intelligent people who are able to manifest what we are looking for instead of the more traditional haunted houses with chainsaws, screaming and zombies eating your brains.”

Of all the students surveyed, the most popular haunted house mentioned was Creepy World. It is a two to three hour lasting haunted house and starts at $30.

Whatever your take on haunted houses, this weekend will probably be the last to decide. Happy Halloween, Pattonville!

As the fall season is approaching, many students, staff and their families are participating in family traditions. Activities such as baking homemade fall treats and going to a local pumpkin patch are festivities that many families look forward to.

During this time, families tend to have specific homemade treats and desserts for the fall season. “I bake a lot! My mom has this toffee candy that she makes and I bring it to school a lot and I love it and teachers seem to enjoy it too,” Ms. Moritz said.

Caramel covered apples, toffees, and baked breads have become a popular favorite among families during this time of year. “My family bakes a lot of banana bread and we always have caramel apples around the house… with nuts of course,” freshman Brooke Boyce said.

Another fall favorite is pumpkin spice. Whether that’s a pumpkin spice latte or a pumpkin candle, the love for pumpkin spice is contagious. Others are not a big fan of pumpkin spice, “I like pumpkin spice flavored things but I’ve never quite been a fan of pumpkin spice lattes, ” Ms. Moritz said.

There are plenty of options for grabbing a pumpkin treat in our community. Starbucks has a well-known pumpkin spice latte and local bakery Cupcake Fetish has a multitude of fall inspired treats.

To get more into the fall spirit, people decorate their houses with skulls, spider webs, and ghosts for Halloween, or with pumpkins, leaves, and fall themed signs for the season. “We used to decorate for halloween all the time… now we have pumpkins and gourds and things like that but we don’t go too overboard,” said Ms. Moritz. While the weather outside may be tough to withstand, that does not stop families from enjoying decorating their house together and bonding with another.

This season may also bring some stress and seasonal depression towards some students. Brooke Boyce has noticed the increased pace at school “Although it’s my freshman year, I still feel the stress of school catching up to me.”

Many students have all felt the underlying stress that comes with this time of year. Even though it’s tough to keep working and push through, having something to look forward to keeps one’s self looking at life in a more positive light. “I look forward to spending time with family, and also having get-togethers with my friends,” Boyce said. By having something to work towards or look forward to will motivate students to push themselves to finish successfully.

Although this season can be overwhelming and stressful, participating in things such as pumpkin patches with friends, and family traditions, can have a joyful impact on students who are stressed. “I feel like this time of year brings me and my family closer because of all of the things we get to do together.” During this time many families learn to appreciate and cherish the special moments they have with another. While the fall season is sometimes filled with struggle, it can allow new connections to form and old relationships to spark up again.