Halloween fell on a Friday night this year, and what better way for HPU students to celebrate than at ASHPU’s second annual Monster’s Ball at Planet Hollywood in Waikiki. Hundreds of students attended, showing off their best costumes (or not), but costumes weren’t required to enter the Ball.

“I decided to come as-is at the last minute,” said Lexi Lucariello, a junior and visual communication major, explaining why she didn’t have a costume. Lucariello brought a guest and said going to the Ball was a great way to get to know other HPU students.

Steve Jower, vice-president of ASHPU, coordinated the event, which by 4 p.m. on Oct. 31 had already sold 400 tickets since Oct. 24.

Mary Thongvanh, ASHPU secretary, said about 700 people were expected this year, and by midnight students were still lining up and signing waivers outside. “Every year this is ASHPU’s biggest event,” said Thongvanh, who dressed up as a genie.

Inside of Planet Hollywood, student’s danced to songs such as Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” appropriate for the night, and feasted on free pupus. Students waited on line to eat appetizers such as skeleton bones with blood-bath dip (buffalo wings with blue cheese dressing), caterpillar crunch (boiled soybeans), and creepy Asian worm stir fry (fried noodles), and more.

HPU provided transportation to and from Planet Hollywood, from the Hawai‘i Loa and downtown campuses, as well as parts of Waikiki.

Hanna Monteiro, a freshman pre-med student and ASHPU Rep. at Large, helped sell tickets at the booth outside the restaurant and on Fort St. Mall. Dressed in ’80s style clothes and crimped hair, she explained why ASHPU coordinated the event again this year. “We’re not doing this for profit,” Monteiro said. “We’re doing this for HPU to have something to do.”

Judging from the costumes, whether someone was dressed as a bag of popcorn or just wearing diapers, the event was a success.