Muffled shrieks could be heard from across the parking lot of St. Thomas’ Cretin Hall on the eve of Halloween as 512 students made their way through the residence hall’s annual haunted house.

South Campus residents decorate the hall’s basement each year and host Haunted Cretin for students in a time-honored tradition. Melissa Shugarman, South Campus area director, helped the South Campus Association organize the event.

“This is one of my favorite events that we do on South Campus. I get excited every year,” Shugarman said.

This year’s theme, phobias, featured rooms styled after several common fears: claustrophobia, clowns, darkness, monsters and spiders. Elaborately decorated rooms, lurking costumed volunteers, strobe lighting and eerie soundtracks created a heart-stopping experience for visitors.

Residents and resident advisers of Cretin and Grace halls began planning the event in early October. More than 80 student volunteers brainstormed, advertised, acted, ran activities and set up for the event.

Freshman volunteer Bridget Carey said she enjoyed the planning process and getting involved on campus.

“It seemed like such a big tradition, and I was excited that it was an event for the whole campus, not just South,” Carey said. “It was cool to get to collaborate with our neighboring floor (in Cretin).”

Lauren Schaffran can be reached at scha7492@stthomas.edu.