Career Issue October 2020 Cooglife

The Career Issue

October 2020

Interviews:

The story of EDM group Krewella

A day in the life of an MFAH fellow

Articles:

Tips for starting a business in college

How to show your experience without internships

Tips for freelancing as a creative

How to ace your next interview

Essays:

Expectation vs. passion: the pressure of pursuing a nonSTEM career as a person of color

OPINION: We need to treat our teachers right.

Fun:

Spooky Season: a playlist

30 group costume ideas for Halloween

EDITOR’S

LETTER EDITOR’S LETTER

Hey there reader! Welcome to our Career/Halloween/ October issue! As you can tell by that lengthy title, this is a jampacked issue.

We’ve got interviews with the EDM group Krewella, an inside look into a fellowship at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, how-to articles for starting a business and getting your dream job, thought-provoking essays and other fun content too!

Even though this is the Career Issue we just HAD to include a spooky Halloween playlist and some fun costume ideas. Halloween may look a little different this year, but there’s still plenty of ways to safely enjoy the most wonderful time of the year (sorry Winter holidays .... my name’s Autumn of course I’m a little biased).

It’s definetly fitting that we’ve combined the concept of careers and Halloween for this issue because I think we’ve all been frightened by the idea of having to choose a path for the rest of our lives. Though that daunting reality is still there reader, I hope that these articles and interviews are able to open your mind towards having the confidence to pursue the route that’s right for you.

Enjoy, and happy early Halloween!

-AUTUMN RENDALL Executive Editor

EDITORIAL

Autumn Rendall, Executive Editor

cooglife@thedailycougar.com

COVER AND GRAPHIC DESIGNS

Juana Garcia, Creative Director of The Cougar

ame@thedailycougar.com

WRITING

Haya Panjwani

Claudette Vega

Sofia Gonzalez

Cristobella Durrette

Jiselle Santos

Anna Baker

Sydney Rose

ADVERTISING

csmadvertising@uh.edu

KREWELLA KREWELLA THE STORY OF

WRITING BY HAYA PANJWANI AND PHOTOS COURTESY OF KREWELLA

Sisters and DJs Jahan and Yasmine Yousaf, otherwise known as Krewella, took the EDM world by storm in June 2012.

Known for their top hit Alive which topped charts all over the world and has over 90 million views on Youtube, the Yousaf sisters share a second-generation immigrant story that many Houstonians can relate to. In a meet and greet at UH in September, Krewella shared their story and an inside look into their career.

Discovering their passion

Their father migrated from Pakistan to attend the University of Texas at Austin, and eventually had Jahan and Yasmine who grew up in Illinois.

About a decade ago, they discovered their passion for music. The sisters grew up in a very musically inclined family, and they realized after performing EDM at clubs and parties that performing would always be the best part of their career.

The Yousaf parents were a little concerned at first with the career choice that the sisters made. After they started making headway though, their father, or “Abu” slowly became their number one fan. Their mother, a graphic designer, was also very supportive.

“It thankfully worked out for us,” said Yasmine. “But if it hadn’t, I really don’t know what would have happened, but we got really lucky.”

Looking to their heritage for inspiration

One of the biggest sources of inspiration has been their Pakistani heritage. Jahan said that for a while she felt really disconnected from her culture, but now she uses Krewella as a vehicle for her to explore her roots.

They often look to Pakistani, Punjabi, and Bollywood music as a source for new instruments to include in the mechanical and synthesized sounds they work to produce.

Krewella most recently collaborated with Indian producer “Nucleya” on a single called “Good on You”- which perfectly describes the type of cultural integration the sisters spoke about.

Advice for aspiring artists

Along the lines of looking for inspiration, Krewella gave some advice for any rising DJ’s or artists. They asked for individuals to listen to the sounds that move you, and try to identify why you feel the way you do when you listen to the music your favorite artists create.

“I love taking the time to find what inspires you,” said Jahan. “Who are the artists whose sounds you love? Whose percussion do you love? Who are the artists that make you cry?”

Krewella at the UH meet and greet over Zoom before their vitual concert on September 1st

In a September meet and greet at UH, EDM group

Krewella shared their story and an inside look into their careers as musicians.

A day in the life of an MFAH fellow

A day in the life of an MFAH fellow

BY JORDAN HART & PHOTOS COURTESY OF JAELYNN WALLS

All college students dream about securing a paid position in their career field as soon as possible postgraduation. Jaelynn Walls, 21, saw her dreams come true even earlier when the Museum of Fine Arts Houston (MFAH) offered her the Andrew W. Mellon Curatorial Fellowship in July 2019.

“Working in a museum in the curatorial department very directly relates to my studies,” Walls said. “I am in class learning about these artworks … then I’m applying them in real life.”

Perks of the job

As a senior art history major with a minor in African American studies, Walls hopes to eventually become a curator of a museum. She couldn’t be anymore well suited for a fellowship in the Prints and Drawings Department.

The position has presented Walls with many opportunities to network and beef up her resumé for the professional world. The job puts them in rooms with well-known artists and “so many incredible museum professionals,” said Walls.

“Before COVID, I was able to go on artist visits with my boss,” Walls said. “I [met] new artists from all

over Houston.”

An unexpected adventure

Like most great adventures, this position came when Walls wasn’t expecting it. She applied for the Summer Academy at the MFAH, and she spent a week at the museum in May 2019.

At the end of the week, participants could then apply for the curatorial fellowship. Walls was one of two applicants that was accepted for the 2019-2021 program.

“The Mellon fellowship sort of dropped in my lap because people recognized that this was something that I was good at,” Walls said.

Walls hasn’t always had her sights set on the museum world. She originally saw herself as a writer/ filmmaker.

“If you had asked me in high school I would’ve said … ‘I write scripts. I write plays. I want to see my words up on the big screen,’” Walls said.

However, her path shifted when she got a job with the Contemporary Arts Museum as a blogger in high school. She started off as a writer, “but then [she] really fell in love with the museum world.”

Walls newfound love of curation led her to even more opportunities to work with artwork she appreciates. Her resumé includes community engagement and education at the Contemporary Arts Museum and a summer job at the Sugar Hill Children’s Museum of Art and Storytelling in Harlem.

A day in the life

Now, Walls is doing the curatorial work that she has always dreamed of. For the past year, she has been curating a gallery that focuses on modern interpretations of Greek mythology.

“I’m looking at modern artists who are utilizing narratives from classical mythology to deal with their contemporary issues,” Walls said.

Her typical workday includes a lot of research and communication with her boss to bring artwork to the masses.

“My favorite part of art history is how people relate to works,” Walls said.

Now, she can experience the feeling of the public reacting to an exhibit firsthand knowing that she was the one who wrote the labels, (CONTINUED ON NEXT)

UH senior shares her story of working her dream job while still working on her degree

descriptions and contacted the artists.

The pandemic has altered her workday like the rest of the world. Her new daily routine is composed of checking emails, class and Zoom meetings with her boss.

In response to social distancing rules, Walls has had the chance to curate an online exhibition titled “Women at Work” for a Google Arts and Culture project.

“People can click through and read labels I’ve written about the artwork,” Walls said.

Just getting started

When asked about what she does in her free time, she plugged her Youtube channel, “Art in Color”.

“My channel focuses on artists of color and introducing people to artists they may have never heard of before,” Walls said.

Although Walls is just at the beginning of her museum career, it’s only up from here.

“This is what I’m going to do for the rest of my life,” Walls said.

University Career Services is here for you, providing a full line-up of virtual career fairs, appointments, drop-in hours, and educational workshops. UCS's virtual services connect employers directly to UH's diverse talent pool of students through oneon-one or group sessions. Our virtual experiential programs allow students to hear from professionals' real-world perspectives across industries. Going into the spring semester, we will continue hosting virtual career fairs where students can network and chat (text or video) with employers through Cougar Pathway via AccessUH.

TIPS FOR STARTING A BUSINESS IN COLLEGE TIPS FOR STARTING A BUSINESS IN COLLEGE

1 Prioritize and analyze

Figure out what’s important to you and think about your existing commitments. See how starting a business fits into that picture. If your life is overwhelming enough as is, you might want to either start small or hold off on your business for a little bit.

2 Learn the game

Take any opportunities you can to try and gain more knowledge about starting a business or the skills you need to excel. Try to choose some elective or major classes that will help you in your future business endeavors. Also, look for free online courses that could help with the process of starting your business -- anywhere from a finance class to a social media class.

3 Take advantage of school resources

UH has many resources that can be useful in starting your business like the Writing Center, Career Services, and more. There’s also a vast alumni network that could be beneficial in terms of consulting or just general advice.

4 Connect with other students

You can find other possible collaborators for your business in your classes, work, housing, or a student club. UH has over 100

student orgs. These connections could help you find someone with similar interests or even complementary strengths to help you in your business endeavors.

5 Find a mentor

Successful business owners in your area have already faced the trials and tribulations of starting up their business, so find some that you can interview about how they got started. Sending an email or a LinkedIn message to a business owner you admire can be a great way to get in touch with someone willing to give you advice. Look for UH alumni or a business owner in an area you’re interested in.

6 Create a website

Building a website and social media presence for your business doesn’t have to be hard. Use a free platform like Wix to create your website, and look at free videos about mastering social media to promote your business on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or TikTok.

7 Figure out your product or service

Figuring out your exact product or service doesn’t have to happen all at once. Start with a prototype, get some feedback, and alter it. Your product could change as you get more customers and engagement. Just choose something you are passionate about because that will

BY CLAUDETTE VEGA

drive you to keep working on it. This could range from selling socks to a tutoring service. There are no limits.

8 Create a schedule and checklist

Deadlines can help you stay on track for certain milestones you’d like to achieve. A schedule can help with balancing school, work, extracurriculars, business shenanigans, etc. Give yourself small goals to reach every week or month. There is no need to start a website if you don’t know what your business is selling.

9 Absorb everything

There are many online resources available for future entrepreneurs. Pay attention to what you think could be useful for your business. What businesses have caught your attention? What platform do they use (Etsy, Instagram, Redbubble, etc)? How did they get started?

10 Build it until you get it right

Remember that Rome wasn’t built in a day, and your business probably won’t be either. You might have bad days, rough patches, or failed attempts. Don’t let these discourage you from starting your business. If nothing else, you will have gained valuable experience in the business world that can serve you in any career you choose to pursue.

HOW TO SHOW YOUR EXPERIENCE WITHOUT INTERNSHIPS

As a repercussion of the world flipping upside down in March, college internships are limited. Many students are struggling to gain job experience. Luckily, there are plenty of things students can still do to dazzle employers and make the best of these circumstances.

Join a student organization related to your career

The University of Houston has more than 500 organizations that students can join through the Get Involved page. These cover a wide range of interests, professions and colleges at the University.

By joining organizations related to your career field, you can showcase your skills and interest in the area. For example, an advertising student could join the American Advertising Federation. Or, health students could join the Health Students Association. Whatever your interests are or hopeful career paths are—there are plenty of opportunities to find a perfect fit on campus.

Create an online portfolio

Students can use Wix.com to create a free website that shows off all their accomplishments and experiences in one place. When you create an online portfolio, you should have an introduction tab, a tab to show off your work, and a tab with your experience and a downloadable resume.

Each tab should be short and concise but highlight everything an employer should know. If you have any second party websites that have proof of your experience, such as research you’ve done or articles you’ve written, link them to your portfolio website as well.

Start a Youtube channel or promote your work on social media

If you enjoy being creative, starting a YouTube channel or promoting your work on social media could be a fun way to show off your experience.

Posting videos or podcasts to your YouTube channel where you perform career-related skills or talk about your profession can be an engaging way to showcase your experience and communication skills. For example, a student who studies business could make videos that show viewers how to save money, tricks to starting a business, or what it means to be a business student and how this has helped them in life. Also, using

BY SOFIA GONZALEZ

your social media to promote your professional experience and qualities can help you network. Start a professional Twitter account and Facebook page. You can post links to your work samples, talk about your career and connect with others in your field.

Take free LinkedIn Learning courses

UH offers free LinkedIn Learning courses that students can take to build their professional knowledge and skills. LinkedIn also offers assessments in different skills that appear on your profile to potential employers. If you’d like to prove your expertise in your career, this is the way to go.

Times may be tough, but there are still ways you can show you’re resilient and ready for your future career.

TIPS FOR FREELANCING AS A CREATIVE

WRITING BY CRISTOBELLA DURRETTE & ART BY JUANA GARCIA

Freelancing, or working for yourself, can be a great way for college students to kickstart their creative careers before finishing their degree. Since freelancers aren’t committed to a long-term employer for their creative work, they can work at their own pace and can tailor marketing and pricing to their specific needs.

However, the freedom to bring your own business to life often raises important questions about where to start and best practices.

I recall contending with similar questions when I began freelancing as an illustrator five years ago. Since then, I’ve grown my small business to have a modest online following and open commissions on a rolling basis based on my schedule.

Here are a few tips that I wish I had known when I was first starting out.

1: Determine your target audience.

Before you can begin advertising your creative products, you have to determine what demographics you’ll be marketing toward. Consider the gender, age and income level of the people that you think would buy your product. By looking at these factors, you can tailor your outreach and pricing for those who will support your business.

and in-person to find what could work for you.

2: Set costs

After you’ve determined your target audience, come up with a clear plan for pricing. Do you plan to charge customers per project or per hour? Checking on prices set by businesses selling similar products to your target audience ensures that your costs align with the market.

Don’t sell yourself short, even when you’re just starting out. Your time, product and service are valuable. Setting prices low to draw customers in will prevent you from making a profit and may not be sustainable long-term.

3: Design a website

During these unprecedented times, cultivating a robust online presence can allow beginning freelancers to reach their audience from the comfort of their own home. An easily navigatable website allows you to showcase your work and give your customers an impression of your business’s mission and vision.

4. Make dedicated social media accounts

Social media can be a great way to direct online traffic to your website. Curating a well-presented presence on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter gives potential customers the opportunity to discover and engage with your business. High-quality images and consistent posts can help you to build an active following.

Designate the social media accounts for your business as business accounts across platforms. The setting allows you to track your growth, views and traffic directed to your website. Keeping track of these metrics can help you to expand your business as time goes on.

If you’re unsure how to begin finding your audience, look at other creators selling similar products. Research how they connect with their audience online

The layout, branding and pages on your website can entice people to purchase what you’re selling, if properly curated. Explore other websites selling similar products and look at how they organize their page. Once you’re ready to build your own, check out a website builder like Wix or Squarespace. These offer a variety of free and premium options for different needs.

How to ace your next interview

How to ace your next interview

WRITING BY HAYA PANJWANI & ART BY JUANA GARCIA

You did it- you got a job interview! Interviews are likely your final step into the company you want to work for, and sometimes the most important. Interviews can be intimidating, especially nowadays when you might be doing them over video chat instead of in-person.

Got no clue how to get through one? We got you covered:

The interview usually starts before it even starts

Even before you step into your interview, the interview process has already started. You can expect your interviewer to have searched your name on Google, stalked your social media, and to have marked certain parts of your resume to talk to you about.

Be sure to do this vetting on your own before you even submit your application. Hop on incognito mode on your browser and try to see how people might see you on Google or social media to make sure everything aligns with the company’s ethics and values.

Research the company you’re interviewing for

Just like the interviewer, it’s key

that you as an interviewee know about the company. Do the same thing that they plan to do with you -- Google them, stalk their social media. Take notes on what the company is posting about the most. Is there something that they’re very proud of? Their product? Their customers? Perhaps a devotion to community service?

When they ultimately ask you why you want to work for them, you’ll have a good understanding of what they value most, and you can orient your response accordingly.

What to bring

Yourself, duh! But also, copies of your resume. If this is an inperson interview, you might have multiple interviewers/a panel of interviewers. Bringing copies of your resume doesn’t just make sure that everyone can have their copy to look back at or make notes on, it shows that you’re prepared and organized- something that they’ll likely remember.

The same applies to your portfolio if you have one. For most creative or content creating jobs, a portfolio or samples of work show what you’re capable of.

Also, interviews go both ways.

After the interview, make sure you interview them back a little. Come prepared with questions, a notepad and a pen. Take notes during your conversation if it’s appropriate. If you need to follow up on something, jot it down so you can come back to it.

Prepare an elevator pitch

You walk into an elevator and see the CEO of your dream company. There’s an opening at the company, and you only have this shot to say what you want to say to them. Do you know what to say? This is your elevator pitch.

Your elevator pitch should take about 30-60 seconds, according to Indeed. Essentially, you want to answer three questions: Who are you? What do you do? What do you want?

Start by introducing yourself -- a kind greeting followed by your name, where you go to school and what you do now. Next, summarize what you do- are you a student? Do you work somewhere else? Are you working on a cool project related to the company? And lastly, what do you want? In the case of an interview, you want the job you’re interviewing for.

Dress for the job

A full-fledged pantsuit is always stylish, (hey Zendaya), but it’s not for every interview.

“Some jobs like STEM might even have you out on the field the first day, so you’d be better off wearing slacks and a good button-down,” said Tiffany Bitting, Associate Director of University Career Services (UCS).

It all depends on where you’re interviewing. Think about this: What would you wear to a company-run event or meeting if you got hired right where you were interviewed?

If you don’t have a professional wardrobe, UCS has its professional closet in their office where you can

rent clothes for your interview.

Body language is everything

You’ve got the fit. You’re feeling cool and confident. You did the prep, and you know everything about the company you’re interviewing for. Now, let your mind and body do the rest. About 55% of communication is through body language. This includes, but isn’t necessarily limited to, your posture, how you’re seated on your seat, eye contact, facial expressions, and the tone of your voice.

Before logging on to your Zoom interview or walking into your in-person interview, look in your video camera or mirror. Roll your shoulders back, relax your

muscles, chin up. You’re doing great sweetie.

Anything else?

Know that you’ve got this.

Expectation v.s. passion: the pressure of pursuing a nonSTEM career as a person of color

WRITING BY JISELLE

SANTOS & ART BY JUANA GARCIA

Growing up as a firstgeneration Asian American, I was expected to pursue a career in STEM. A job was something you picked to make your parents proud -- whether it’s to become a doctor, nurse, or an engineer.

So, a career in communications was something very foreign to me. I had no idea what that industry was like. As I pursue my degree in advertising, I’m confronted with the challenge of trying to pursue a career in an unfamiliar industry while also trying to please my parents with something unknown to them.

Lack of representation

It’s not like I could show my parents a celebrity or someone that they knew who pursued a degree in communications because there weren’t many representations of that within our media while growing up. I remember watching the movie 13 Going on 30, still one of my favorite movies to this day, and seeing how the main character played by Jennifer Garner was the editor for her favorite fashion magazine. I wanted to be her character Jenna so bad and to work at a magazine, but I couldn’t picture myself in that career field when it was expected of me to go into medicine.

It wasn’t popular to see Asian women going into something like communications versus going into medicine growing up, and I felt I had to fight that stereotype with what I wanted to do. Sure, I was doing well in college initially with my STEM classes like microbiology and chemistry, but what was the

point of pursuing something if you never have the passion for it?

Discovering my passion

As I was studying for my required class, I would find myself listening to music, which is not uncommon for most college students. However, I was searching for the newest releases from my favorite artists, posting about it on my social media, and trying to share and talk about it with others. As I regularly posted to Twitter and interacted with lots of musicians that I listened to, people started to follow me to see what was the latest thing to listen to.

This caught the attention of a founder of a lifestyle publication, Teal Magazine, and she offered me a position as music coordinator for the magazine. I was hesitant at first to accept the position. Never did I consider myself a writer or someone who wanted to pursue something in the music industry, but I accepted the job because I loved to talk about music.

My first two years of college were already complete when I accepted this position. I started writing regularly about music, posting about it on social media more, and was interviewing my favorite musicians while trying to balance all my STEM classes for a degree that I felt that I didn’t even want. Being a music editor for a publication as a job was something that I had never considered. I always thought, “Can people be paid to this type of stuff that I think is fun?”

interview musicians, and meet people that were in the music industry trying to become tour photographers and music journalists. Then, I had the realization that this was something I wanted to do or at least try to pursue a career in ... since I dreaded the idea of going into the medical field.

Making a choice for myself

I changed my major to advertising when I had this realization because I wanted to learn more about communications and what it had to offer me. Advertising seemed like it had everything from writing to graphic design to event planning. I became interested more in writing and knowing the technicalities of it. I re-taught myself how to do graphic design and joined organizations on campus to spark my interests in what advertising is like UH’s American Advertising Federation chapter.

I enter my senior year and with what I have learned of the advertising field, I feel content knowing that this is something I want to do after I graduate. At the start of college, I felt very lost and burdened with the expectations of what I should do versus what I want to do, and I still struggle with that. However, I don’t want to live with the idea of doing a job every day that I had no interest in at all.

Whether it is to be a graphic designer or an account planner, I know that either of these positions or anything in advertising is something I want to do, because I’m choosing to do it.

I continued to have opportunities to cover music festivals, concerts,

OPINION: We have to start treating our teachers right.

BY ANNA BAKER

Idon’t think we realize how valuable K-12 school teachers are. They are a direct investment in the next generation.

For twelve years, they stay with our children for about eight hours every day. They play an important part in getting kids passionate about different subjects, preparing them for the real world, and giving them the tools they need to ask life’s real questions. They also teach us the foundations of knowledge we need to make it through everyday life.

You would think that for such an important job the rewards would be high. However, as many of us know, that is unfortunately not the case.

Teachers’ needs go unheard

The minimum pay for Texas teachers is around $30,000 as a starting salary. In addition to that, that number doesn’t go up very much overtime. Teachers also don’t get much funding for school supplies, causing them to pay out of their salary for necessary supplies.

The needs of teachers have gone unheard during the pandemic. When teachers bring up that they don’t want to teach in person due to feeling unsafe, people have told them to push through and deal with it. Some people have labeled teachers as lazy for not wanting to host in-person classes, despite their education efforts through online learning.

Entitlement from the public

Seeing all the hatred towards teachers right now makes me wonder: Why do we expect so much of teachers when at the same time we treat them so badly?

One reason could be that teachers are public workers, meaning taxes pay them. People can feel entitled and think teachers should jump through hoops for their children simply because they’re paid by the government. This may be why some parents are upset about teachers setting boundaries during the coronavirus pandemic. They may feel like teachers don’t have a right to have an opinion because they get paid, in a sense, by the parents.

Misogyny in the profession

The poor treatment of teachers may also have to do with the fact that it’s a predominantly female profession. Teaching used to be a profession for young women before they got married, and teachers were subject to many harsh regulations.

In the 1920s, there was even a requirement that said teachers could not ride in cars with any

man they weren’t related to. So, there is a history of the public seeing teachers as women to be controlled.

People often brush off teachers’ concerns too-easily or view them as overdramatic. Some of them are still stuck in their outdated views of educators. They don’t respect teachers the same way they respect other professionals, and especially professionals in maledominated fields. When a teacher stands up for themselves, some people feel like they shouldn’t even have a right to speak up.

Misunderstanding of the job

Some people also act like teachers as lazy, as exemplified by the phrase “Those who can, do; those who can’t, teach.” They act like teachers have a cushy job because they get holidays and summers off, so they claim that teachers don’t have a right to complain about anything.

In reality, teachers work hours after school ends to create lesson plans and grade papers. They don’t get paid for these extra hours either.

Teachers also don’t get paid during the summer unless their contract covers summer work, or they choose to lessen their paychecks during the school year. However, most teacher contracts only cover ten months.

People have very warped views of teaching

jobs now. Whether that be because of entitlement towards public workers, misogyny, or a misunderstanding of their work, but there are no excuses to treat teachers the way we do.

There is no denying that educators are incredibly important. We should respect teachers and advocate for them because of their impact on the future generation of adults, and simply because they’re workers too.

BY AUTUMN RENDALL & ART BY JUANA GARCIA

SPOOKY SEASON: a playlist

A non-cheesy, okay maybe a little cheesy, playlist to jam to this Halloween

SONG:

SONG: My Girlfriend Is A Witch ARTIST: October Country

SONG: Spooky (Single Version)

ARTIST: Dusty Springfield

SONG:

SONG:

SONG: Superstition - Single Version

ARTIST: Stevie Wonder

1.

She’s Not There ARTIST: The Zombies

2.

3.

4.

Season of the Witch ARTIST: Donovan

5.

Baby You’re a Haunted House

ARTIST: Gerard Way

6.

7.

SONG: Pyscho Killer ARTIST: Talking Heads

8.

SONG: Heads Will Roll ARTIST: Yeah Yeah Yeahs

9.

SONG: Ghostbusters ARTIST: WALK THE MOON

10.

SONG: Hungry Like the Wolf ARTIST: Duran Duran

11.

SONG: Somebody’s Watching Me ARTIST: Rockwell

12.

SONG: Super Freak ARTIST: Rick James

30 GROUP COSTUME IDEAS FOR HALLOWEEN

30 GROUP COSTUME IDEAS FOR HALLOWEEN

WRITING BY SYDNEY ROSE & ART BY JUANA GARCIA

Even though Halloween this year will be a little tricky, thare are still ways to match costumes with a group of friends virtually. So, you can let the safe Halloweekend come together no matter what number of people will be joining your Zoom party. Here are some costume ideas for any number of people:

Groups of Two

A dynamic duo costume can come from pairing with your best friend, your roommate or even a sibling. There are a lot of options to either match or go hand-in-hand.

• Buzz Lightyear and Woody

• Angel and Devil

• Thing One and Thing Two

• Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy

• Mike and Sully

• Sun and Moon

Groups of Three

For a trio, there are a lot of options that can make each person in the group feel included, in-person or not!

• Three Musketeers

• Alvin and the Chipmunks

• Kim, Ron and Shego from Kim Possible

• Three Blind Mice

• The witches from Hocus Pocus

• The Powerpuff Girls

Groups of Four

For a good group of four, you can easily pair off with one another or all collectively work as a group.

• Wizard of Oz ( Dorothy, Lion, Tin Man and Scarecrow)

• Mario Brothers plus Peach and Daisy

• The Incredibles

• Mean Girls

• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

• Winnie the Pooh, Tiger, Piglet and Eeyore

Groups of Five

Here’s where the group costumes have to get really coordinated for everyone to participate and things to work, but when everything does come together it all looks really great!

• The Mystery Gang from Scooby Doo

• Pink Ladies or Greasers

• Breakfast Club

• Emotions from Inside Out

• Sesame Street characters

• Spice Girls

Groups of Six

This is as large of a group as we are going to get here for now, but this amount can really bring the fun this Halloween -- even if it is just seeing separate pictures of everyone’s matching costume.

• Avengers

• Disney Princesses

• The characters from Clue

• The gang from Avatar: The Last Airbender

• Packman and the Ghosts

• The friends from Friends