Haunted Houses Popular with College Kids

By: Nick Baker

With Halloween looming ever closer, many students at Central Michigan University are looking for ways to scare themselves into the holiday spirit; and haunted houses seem to be the most popular way to do that.

Caitlin Wettlaufer, a 21-year-old senior at CMU from Royal Oak, MI, has been going to haunted houses her entire life and doesn’t plan on stopping anytime soon.

“I love haunted houses,” said Wettlaufer. “I go to at least three of them every year around Halloween; I just think they are a lot of fun.”

The only problem Caitlin runs into every year is Mid-Michigan’s lack of haunted attractions, forcing her to travel down state to get in the Halloween spirit.

“There needs to be more haunted houses in the area,” said Wettlaufer. “I usually have to drive to Lansing to visit to a good one, or I’ll just go home for the weekend and go to one there.”

With the high gas prices and poor economy, Cailtin isn’t even sure if she is going to make it to three terrifying attractions this year.

“I might have to skip a trip or too this year,” said Wettlaufer. “I can’t afford to travel down state as much, plus I would feel so irresponsible spending my money on something so silly.”

There is one haunted house that’s close enough for Caitlin to travel to though; the Terror on 27, which is located just south of Mt.Pleasant and not too far for a CMU student to travel to.

Rick Peterson, a worker at the Terror on 27, says college students make up a good portion of their business.

“I don’t really know an exact number,” said Peterson, “but a lot of college age kids do come through here on the weekends.”

Even the lofty gas prices and economic down turn hasn’t really effected the Terror on 27’s business, according to Rick.

“Our business is pretty much the same as it was last year,” said Peterson. “The Halloween season keeps people coming, no matter what’s going on in the country.”