Blog Posts

How to Throw the Spookiest Halloween Party-image

Image courtesy of PublicDomainPictures Halloween might seem like just a child’s holiday but it began as an ancient Celtic festiva l. Participants dressed in costume and lit bonfires to chase away bad spirits. In Mexico, Halloween is referred to as Dia de Muertos and is used as a time to honor the dead in a joyous festival. Today, Halloween is a celebration of candy and dressing up in costume. It’s certainly not as solemn as it used to be. So we’re going to celebrate Halloween the only way we know how: with a party! If you want to throw yourself a Halloween party, we’re here to help you out. Here are some tips: Costumes It’s not Halloween unless you have a great costume. The most fun costume idea is to get a group of friends and all wear matching or corresponding costumes. For example, the Scooby Doo gang, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the Ghostbusters are great options for your squad. If you’re running on a tight budget and you’re crunched for time, picking your costume gets a little harder. This ‘Error 404’ costume is easy and only requires a white tee and a marker. Be a ceiling fan by writing ‘Go Ceiling’ on a plain shirt and carrying pom poms. While these costumes aren’t great, they get the job done. Snacks If you’re throwing a party, you’re going to have to feed all of the monsters coming to your apartment. These hot dog mummies might seem a little childish but trust us, they’re delicious! All you’ll need are crescent rolls and hot dogs. For those of you with a sweet tooth, a spider cookie will satiate you. You have to have grub to feed the hungry monsters partying away! Decorations Your home should look a little festive if you’re going to be throwing a party. All you need are a few choice selections to make your home look spooky. There are a lot of options for no-carve pumpkins that require little effort and no mess! We love the cactus pumpkins from Apartment Therapy . To create these creepy spider webs all you’ll need are some black trash bags and scissors! If everyone at your party is over 21 and you’d like to indulge in a rousing game of beer pong, we recommend making it a little tougher by turning off the lights and using these epic glow in the dark cups . The most important thing to remember when throwing a party, however, is your Pierpont neighbors. Being considerate towards your neighbors will encourage them to do the same. Let them know ahead of time that you’re throwing a party and even throw them an invite. They’re more likely to be cool with your party if they’re invited to it. Once you’ve got all the ingredients for a great party, the last thing left to do is just enjoy! We hope you all have a safe and spooky Halloween. What are your best Halloween party tips? What’s the best costume you’ve ever made yourself? Share your photos with us on Facebook and Twitter.

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Motown Road Trips-image

With so many scenic lookouts and winding mountain roads, West Virginia is full of road trips just waiting to happen. Now that fall has arrived and the leaves are making their transformation from greens to reds, browns, and yellows, this is the time to go! It’s the perfect opportunity to escape the stresses of class and work, even if it’s just for an hour. There’s plenty to see while you drive and plenty more to stop and explore. To help narrow down which road to travel, here’s a list of some of the best scenic drives in West Virginia: Highland Scenic Highway The Highland Scenic Highway is perfect for a Sunday afternoon drive. It is 43 miles through the Monongahela National Forest. The drive might not be long, but there’s plenty of opportunities to explore. There are also 4 great overlook spots of the Allegheny Mountains that will have you staring out for miles. It takes about two hours to get to the Highland Scenic Highway from Morgantown so the journey can be a road trip all on its own! Route 60 Midland Trail If you’re looking to take a little bit of a longer drive with more diverse stops, the Midland Trail is the perfect kind of trip for you. The drive is 180 miles, and you can see plenty of gorgeous waterfalls during the drive. There are many incredible places to stop along the way to learn about pioneer history, enjoy local arts and crafts, or get a bite to eat. It takes about two hours to get to the Midland Trail from your home at Pierpont Place . Route 32 through Canaan Valley Anyone who enjoys the thrill of twisting and turning through winding roads needs to take the journey of Route 32 through Canaan Valley. The drive goes from Harmon to Thomas and is 20 miles of winding turns through some of the most beautiful forest you’ve ever seen. You’ll be taken through Canaan Valley State Park, Blackwater Falls State Park, and the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge. If you love quirky small towns, make stops in Thomas and Davis! Coal Heritage Trail History buffs rejoice: Coal Heritage Trail is rife with scenery and history. Some of the sites you can see include reconstructed mines, railway stations, and towns. If you have the time, make sure to stop for a tour of an abandoned mine! On the way to these sites is, of course, wonderful scenery that would make even a person who prefers the indoors want to go along for the ride. For more information on the Coal Heritage Trail and surrounding area, check here. Now that we’re almost at the midpoint of the semester, it’s a good idea to try and shake out some of the stress that you’ve had building up. Road trips are the perfect way to do that! Don’t miss out on these scenic trails when they are only a couple hours away from Morgantown. What are your favorite scenic trails in the area? What relaxes you after a long week of hard classes and school work? Share with us on Facebook and Twitter!

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The Fright of Your Life Morgantown Haunted Houses-image

Topic: MoTown Haunted Houses Now that it’s the spookiest month of the year, it’s time for all of the fun fall activities you’ve been waiting for. With the cooler weather, it’s also the perfect time for apple picking, pumpkin patch perusing, hayrides, and the most important fall activity of all: haunted houses! Morgantown and West Virginia in general, have some spectacular haunted houses that will leave you shaking in your socks. West Virginia Penitentiary , 1 ½ hours from Pierpont Place Haunted houses are scary, obviously, but usually the scares are fabricated. The actors are dressed up in costume and makeup and put in the right place just as you shuffle past. There’s no real threat. But in the West Virginia Penitentiary, the frights are very real. Housed in an abandoned prison, WV Penitentiary has real life horror in its halls. Take a guided tour during the day if you’re too frightened or after sundown if you have the guts. Come back for the Dungeon of Horrors to really scare yourself silly. Will you make it out? Come find out. Apollo Civic Theater , 2 ½ hours from Pierpont Place You’re certainly in for a show at the Apollo Civic Haunted Theater in Martinsburg. During the rest of the year, it has played host to actors you’ll probably recognize like Robert Duvall and Jeff Bridges. However, during the Halloween season, it transforms into a horror-filled nightmare. Split into four different attractions, the scares in this theater will haunt you for weeks to come. Throughout the month of October, you can also experience an ongoing paranormal investigation at the theater. Get ready for the show of your life! Fright Farm , 30 minutes from Pierpont Place For 30 years, Fright Farm in Pennsylvania has been a Halloween staple for thrill seekers. With five different attractions in one single location, you’ll have to come back the following weekend for more. Enjoy live music, face painting, and vendors before going in for the real fright. New this year is Paranoia 2.0! Blindfolded with nothing more than a rope to be your guide, you’ll feel your way through this haunted house and everything that comes at you. What awaits you at the end of the rope? You’ll find out! Do you have a thirst for danger and a need to get your blood pumping? These haunted houses will do it for you! What’s the best haunted house you’ve ever been to? Share it with us on Facebook and Twitter.

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Fall Festivities in Morgantown-image

You know that fall has truly arrived once West Virginia University Homecoming Weekend has arrived. Since we now have that under our belts, it’s time to fully get into the fall spirit. October is here in full force, the leaves are changing color, and Halloween is just on the horizon. What does this month have in store for us? Arts Walk , October 7 The area surrounding Morgantown is filled with so much beauty but did you know that downtown Morgantown is also rife with amazing art? Experience the Arts Walk this Friday from 6 to 9 in the evening. Walk through over 40 local businesses and take in the brilliance of local artists. Stop into Arts Mon, MAC, or Appalachian Gallery for more information on the Arts Walk. WVU Fall Family Weekend, October 7-9 First up is a great event for those who live farther away from their families and can’t make it home regularly. This weekend, your family can get a firsthand glimpse into what a day in the shoes of a WVU student looks like. It’s basically Bring Your Parent to School Day! Take them to a class with you, share a meal, attend a show or enjoy a residence hall activity. Check the schedule of events here . Mountaineer Week , October 28-November 6 Celebrate 69 years of Appalachian Heritage at the end of this month during Mountaineer Week! The goal of the celebration is to remind and inform West Virginia University students and the community what makes West Virginia the place it is today. Participate in exciting and educational events all while learning all about the history and culture of good ol’ West Virginia. Are you proud to be a Mountaineer? While we’re sad to see summer go, we’re so excited to dive into fall! We know that there are so many fun things to look forward to this month and we’re so happy to share them with you. All of these events take place right around Morgantown so you don’t have to travel far from your home at Pierpont Place . What are you most looking forward to this fall? Share your excitement with us on Facebook and Twitter.

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Neighbors Your New Best Friends-image

Living with neighbors is something that you’ll have to deal with for your entire life (unless you live in the woods somewhere, of course). This is doubly so for college students. Living in college apartments means you have to put up with a lot. Your neighbors can be your best allies or your worst enemies. It benefits you to be kind to your neighbors; usually, how you treat them is how they’ll treat you. If you have respect for your neighbors, they’ll have respect for you. What does it take to turn your neighbor from a casual acquaintance into an actual friend? We’re here to help you out: Say ‘Hello!’ All it takes is a greeting to begin a lifelong friendship. Just say hi. Introduce yourself and share a little bit about yourself. You might find out that you have more in common than you think. By introducing yourself and letting your neighbors know that you’re friendly and open to conversation will come in handy later, when you’re being a little too loud. They may decide to come over and ask you to keep it down rather than complaining to the front desk or police. Be Respectful Coming home after a long day, you might get the urge to put on some loud music or Netflix on blast to let off some steam. Be considerate of your neighbors! They might be working diligently on homework, or taking a nap. You wouldn’t want to be disturbed from either of those activities! Consider your neighbors before turning the volume up too loud. Parties are a great way of shaking off some stress as well as making friends. However, if you have neighbors who don’t appreciate people coming in and out of the apartment, yelling loudly, and blasting music at full volume, it can be a bit of a problem. If you have these neighbors on your side however, you could avoid getting into bigger trouble. It may even help to invite these neighbors over to join in on the festivities! Being friendly with your neighbors will not only keep you out of trouble but also will make your parties that much more fun! Invite Them Over Getting to know a new person can be daunting, especially if it’s in an unfamiliar location. By bringing your ‘friend date’ somewhere more familiar to both of you, you can ease the awkwardness of getting to know one another. Opt for the Pierpont Place Clubhouse . Catch a flick in the theater, catch up on the latest Buzzfeed quizzes, and get a little competitive with a game of pool with your new friend. Before you know it, it will be like you’ve always been friends! What turns a neighbor into a lifelong friend? Just a few small things! What are your best tips for people looking to get to know their new neighbors? Share them with us on Facebook and Twitter.

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Date Night Ideas for College Students-image

Dating in college is a different experience for everyone. Some people date casually for all four years, others don’t date at all, and then there are those lucky folks who meet their soul-mate in college and live happily ever after. But the process of dating is still hard for everyone. No matter what situation you’re in or what kind of couple you’re a part of, there is a date night idea that suits you. For the outdoorsy couple, you’re in the right place. They don’t call it “Wild and Wonderful” West Virginia for nothing! There are so many exciting places for you to take your date to get their heart racing. Take your date straight to the top at Cooper’s Rock. The view will take your breath away and also lends to some pretty spectacular selfies. While you’re there, make sure to hit the hiking trails for a little stroll through the gorgeous forest. You won’t know if it’s love or all the hills making your heart pound! If you really want to see what your date is made of, take them on a real adventure: white water rafting. Keep it casual with a picnic in the park. Raymond J. Lane Park and the Core Arboretum are great places to lay out a blanket and a delicious lunch spread. Take in the scenery with your date and get to know one another while you munch on tasty snacks. To make it more personal, have each of you make and bring your favorite dish for the other to try. Both of these parks are only 10 minutes away from us at Pierpont Place Apartments . We suggest taking a stroll to get there to spend a little extra time with your date. For a 21 and over date night that you won’t forget, head out to the bar for a night of dancing. Bent Willey’s might just seem like your average bar but their light show is what takes it from average to completely unique. Their illuminated, color-changing roof will wow you as you shake it on the dance floor. Bent Willey’s is only 5 minutes away from Pierpont Place but if you plan on drinking, make sure you have a safe ride home or a good pair of shoes on! Dating in college can be good or it can be bad. It all depends on your outlook and some great date nights! Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered on the second part. Do you have any favorite date night spots in Motown? Share them with us on Facebook and Twitter!

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