Halloween: a time to relax, indulge in candy, have some fun and, of course, wear the required costume. With Halloween quickly approaching, costumes are flying off the shelves at stores like Wal-Mart, Target and Party City.

Some students will be looking for one costume for Halloween activities, while others are designing a different costume for each event.

Costumes for night-life, house parties and class should differ from one another in order to be appropriate.

There is a plethora of night-life costume parties at clubs and bars including Toad’s Place, Hula Hanks, Jack Rabbit Slims and Side Street. The traditional attire for these parties is usually provocative and cute for girls and humorous for guys.

“When I think of Halloween, I think of that movie ‘Mean Girls,’ where that girl mentions the difference between Halloween in girl world and Halloween in the real world,” said John McKenna, a junior communications major.

McKenna is referring to the Halloween party scene in “Mean Girls” where the main character is not familiar with the “girl world” Halloween tradition. Lindsay Lohan explains in the scene that it is socially acceptable for girls to dress in as little as possible, merely because it is Halloween.

Costume parties at houses or apartments can be more casual and less provocative for girls.

“I am being a non-promiscuous energizer bunny,” said Ashley Balogh, a senior journalism major. “I’m wearing all pink, leggings, a t-shirt, sunglasses and a hat box around my neck.”

When Halloween falls on a week day, some teachers will encourage students to wear costumes to class. However, wearing your Toad’s Place costume may not score you brownie points with the professor like it scores you free drinks with the bartender. So keep it simple, ears and a tail will suffice.

Popular Halloween costumes for girls range from witches and angels to mafia gangsters and princesses. Guys costumes range from pirates and athletes to police officers and pimps.

Group costumes like the cast of “Scooby Doo,” “The Flintstones,” or “Grease” are also fun to wear to any outing.

Purchasing costumes is not for everyone. Try researching ideas online at sites like www.budget101.com and tailoring it to individual needs at home.

A simple home-made idea is an 80’s costume. Girls can tease their hair or wear a side pony tail. Then cut the neck of an old, oversized sweatshirt and throw on a pair of leggings. Guys can gel their hair then just put on an old blazer with shoulder pads, a brightly colored t-shirt and a pair of jeans.

For Halloween, imagination is key. But it’s just a week away so get your costume ready today.