Fightin' Words with...Robert James Russell

A picture is worth a thousand words. A round of Fightin' Words maximizes one single word. You put them both together and you get the stylings of this September's featured memoir contributor, Robert James Russell:

What's the single best word for:

1)      What you're avoiding: Students
2)      Your favorite Halloween costume:

3)      Your superstition: Spiders

4)      Your sense of style: Denim

5)      The night before the first day of school: Bulleit

6)      The first morning it feels like fall: 

7)      What you want: Dumplings 

8)      What embarrasses you: Compliments