Halloween Across Schiller: Campus Life, Costumes and Connections Around the World

What does Halloween look like at an international university? At Schiller International University, there is no single answer.

From a Halloween outing in Tampa to costumes, pizza, games, and spooky activities across Europe, students at our Tampa, Heidelberg, Paris, and Madrid campuses celebrated the occasion in their own ways. Different activities, different communities, and different traditions, but with one thing in common: an opportunity to step away from the usual routine, spend time together, and enjoy campus life.

Key Takeaways

• Four Campuses, Different Celebrations: Students in Tampa, Heidelberg, Paris, and Madrid each found their own way to celebrate Halloween.
• Building Connections Beyond the Classroom: Halloween activities provided informal opportunities for students to spend time together and strengthen their connections.
• Embracing an International Community: Shared celebrations give students from different countries and backgrounds another way to experience campus life together.
• Something for Everyone: From costumes and music to pumpkin carving, games, and an off-campus outing, each location adapted the celebration to its own community.
• Creating Lasting Memories: Beyond developing global professionals and leaders, the Schiller experience is also about the friendships, connections, and memories students make along the way.

A Different Kind of Halloween in Tampa

While Schiller’s European campuses celebrated Halloween on Campus, students in Tampa headed out together for a different kind of experience.

As part of a student engagement initiative, the Tampa community visited Bugz Playpark to mark Halloween away from Campus.

The outing was an opportunity to enjoy the occasion while creating an informal environment for students to connect with their peers. Experiences outside the classroom can play an important role in campus life, giving students the chance to strengthen relationships and get to know one another away from their everyday academic routines.

For the Tampa community, Halloween became another reason to get together, share an experience, and enjoy what the surrounding area has to offer.

Heidelberg and Paris Get Into the Halloween Spirit

Back in Europe, costumes played a much bigger role in the celebrations.

At the Heidelberg Campus, students went all out with their Halloween looks. Costumes, pizza, games, and music transformed the Campus into a space to celebrate and spend time together.

In Paris, students also arrived in costume and gathered on Campus to mark the occasion. With music playing and pizza to share, the celebration provided a relaxed way to take a break from studies and enjoy time with classmates.

Although each Campus approached Halloween a little differently, both celebrations reflected an important part of university life: sometimes, simply creating the space and opportunity to come together is enough to turn an ordinary day into a memorable one.

Pumpkin Carving, Mysteries and Tarot in Madrid

At the Madrid Campus, costumes may have received a slightly shyer response, but the Halloween activities certainly did not depend on dressing up.

Students had several spooky options to choose from throughout the celebration. Those feeling creative could take part in pumpkin carving, while students looking for a challenge could work together to solve a Halloween mystery game.

There was even an opportunity for students curious about what their future might hold to take part in a tarot reading.

Alongside the activities, students gathered over pizza, providing plenty of opportunities to take a break, join in, and spend time with classmates.

The variety meant that students could participate in whichever way suited them best, proving that you do not necessarily need a costume to get into the Halloween spirit.

Different Campuses, One International Community

Halloween may not carry the same traditions or significance for every member of Schiller’s international community, and that diversity is precisely what makes shared celebrations interesting.

Campus activities create spaces where students from different countries, programs, and backgrounds can come together outside the classroom. They provide opportunities to meet people, strengthen friendships, discover different traditions, and simply enjoy being part of a university community.

Whether that means heading to a theme park, arriving on Campus in an elaborate costume, carving a pumpkin, solving a mystery, listening to music, or just grabbing a slice of pizza with friends, any excuse to get together can be a good excuse to have some fun.

University is ultimately made up of more than classes, assignments, and exams. While Schiller prepares students with the knowledge and global perspective to pursue their future ambitions, campus life provides something equally difficult to replicate later: the shared experiences and lasting memories created along the way.