After the thrill and chaos of Vassar’s official Halloweekend ended with a screeching halt, a fun tradition crept back into the limelight: the annual Raymond House Haunted House. The event took place on Oct. 29 and 30 from 7 to 9 p.m. Through creepy crawlies and jumpscares, Raymond House has long made its claim to fame through yearly hauntings in their infamous basement. Joselyne Segura ’28 noted, “I first heard about it on my tour of Vassar on Admitted Students Day, and it was something that notably defined Raymond.” Students came out in droves to see what the House Team had in store for them this year, waiting in long lines just for the chance to participate in a three-to-four minute haunted house experience.
Their excitement was palpable. Francesca Papetti ’28 said, “I had heard about the haunted house and thought it sounded like a lot of fun and very on theme for Halloween.” Some, however, just wanted to know if it would live up to the hype. Lyla Crispe ’28 speculated, “It sounded intriguing, and I wanted to see if it was going to be shit or not.” Others just followed the crowds—Quin Vanderberg ’28 reasoned, “All of my friends were going, and it sounded very fun.”
This year’s theme was entitled “Biohazard: A Haunted House,” leaving much to the imagination without subjecting yourself to the experience. Segura clarified, “The theme was something along the lines of a rat infestation, and we were given a green spray bottle at the beginning to supposedly fight off the rats.” The bottles, however, were criticized for being mere props and served to confuse guests. Crispe added, “There was a rat infestation, and we had to shoot the infestation with shitty spray bottles that didn’t have liquid in it.” However, the costumes were on theme; Segura added, “The actors’ costumes matched with the theme though; they had rat or exterminator outfits.”
There were many tactics at play to scare the hauntees this year, including anything from creepy noises to contortions. Papetti said, “There were a bunch of actors who jumped out and screamed. There were also some actors who were stationary either in a contorted position or making creepy noises.” Crispe concurred, “They jumped out at you, made weird body movements. One girl was twisted out on the floor.” Segura made note of the scenery that added to the effect: “The dim lighting allowed for actors to come out and jump-scare you unexpectedly. There would also be a lot of loud noises and doors banging.”
The most important hope of anyone making their way into a haunted house is that they will be frightened. This haunted house achieved that, even with the small space that usually serves as the laundry room and hangout spot for Raymond House residents. When asked if they were scared during the experience, Vanderberg answered, “Yes, to the point of losing my balance!” Even originally skeptical participants were haunted thoroughly; Crispe said, “Oh yeah, definitely. I didn’t think I would be, but when they jumped out it scared the shit out of me.” Peretti added, “Jumpscares always get me, so I was pretty spooked at first.”
Even some of the more experienced participants were caught by surprise. Segura mentioned, “I’ve personally been in a lot of haunted houses, and I usually can predict what is going to happen, so I wasn’t very scared. But, I did get jumpscared by one actor towards the end!”
Overall, this experience achieved its goal of delighting students with spirited and unique experiences that they will not soon forget. None of these participants regretted attending the event, and many expressed interest in going every year. Segura cheered the event, saying, “I think it is a staple tradition to have every year. It definitely gives more personality to Raymond and gives it something special and fun to do every year!” Crispe agreed, “Yeah, it was fun and I’d definitely do it again. It was a nice, spooky experience and it added to the Halloween feeling.”
It is also a great opportunity to take advantage of stigmas that Raymond House is already experiencing, like the spooky reputation of their rundown basement. Peretti said, “I think the tradition is super cool! It really brings together a lot of wide-ranging communities to enjoy. And to take advantage of the particularly creepy Raymond basement.”
Images courtesy of Sydney Mize