Halloween 2023
The "OG HALLOWEEEEN GANG" -- active from November to December 2023. Halloween 2023 was one of those nights that became legendary in the friend group. Shaurya was still 12 years old and attending ISGI in Muscat at the time.
What Happened
Halloween 2023 was one of the last big group events before everything changed -- before the friend group got scattered across countries, before the move, before reunions became something you had to plan months in advance. We went all out with costumes, plans, and the kind of coordination that only a group of 12-year-olds with too much energy can pull off. Nia Bailwad was part of the crew for this one, along with the wider ISGI circle -- Aliyah, Nysa, Palash, and others who made those years what they were. The energy was unmatched because everyone was still there, still in the same city, still showing up in person. No coordinating across time zones, no "I wish I could come." Just everyone, together, with costumes and chaos.
The Group Chat
The "OG HALLOWEEEEN GANG" chat lasted well beyond Halloween itself. What started as a planning group turned into a hangout chat that kept going through November and December 2023. That is the mark of a good event -- when the planning chat outlives the event by two months. People kept dropping in with photos, inside jokes from the night, and "remember when" messages that kept the vibe alive long after the costumes came off. It was one of those group chats that became its own little world -- a place where the memory of one perfect night was enough to sustain weeks of conversation.
Why "OG"
We call it "OG" because there were other Halloween group chats before and after, but this was THE one. The original. The one that set the standard. Every Halloween since gets compared to 2023, and nothing has quite matched it -- partly because the group itself has never been fully reunited in the same city since. The OG label is not just about being first; it is about being the benchmark. It is about the feeling of having your entire world in one room.
The Halloween Scene
Halloween was not about trick-or-treating in the traditional sense. It was about getting your friend group together, planning a night out, putting together costumes, and hitting up whatever events or gatherings the community had going on. The planning was half the fun -- deciding what to wear, coordinating themes, figuring out logistics. In 2023, we nailed it. The costumes were on point, the group was complete, and the night delivered on every bit of hype the group chat had built up.
Looking Back
Halloween 2023 sits in a specific place in memory. It was one of the last big moments before the friend group scattered. Everyone was still intact, still physically together, still making plans in person instead of across time zones. That is what makes it OG -- not just the event itself, but the fact that everyone who mattered was still in the same place at the same time. That does not happen anymore, and knowing that makes the memory hit different.