It's less than a month until Halloween, and like the rest of the world, you probably haven't thought of what to wear that day. The day that reminds you so much of your beloved childhood...ah, those glorious days without stressing over prelims and life in general... To make it worse, you've most likely received an invite to a popular frat party on campus that weekend. Don't be one of those last minute dressers and end up dressing up as a discombobulated "cat lady" by creating the tackiest outfit possible from the depths of your closet. It's important that you read up on this year's popular Halloween fashions (that's why I'm here) before you go and embarrass yourself in front of a bunch of flirtatious college students who will most likely be approach you sometime during the night. Every year, someone makes the headlines, whether it's a famous politician, like Barack Obama, or the recently deceased Michael Jackson; you can never go wrong dressing up as someone whose pictures are all over the papers. In addition, you can make some wacky statements and keep your friends in good humor throughout the night by pretending to be someone everyone knows. When The King of Pop died earlier this year, his crazy fans showed their love to the world, so don't be surprised if you see people wearing red thriller jackets, hobo gloves, or tight black leather pants. Politicians are also easy to dress up as, because students normally have at least one business suit somewhere, or if you don't, borrow from a Hotelie! Rubber or plastic masks for famous people can be found in the nearby costume shops located in Ithaca Mall or in Collegetown. However, if you like to go with the more classic costumes: Star Wars, pirates, comic book heroes/villains (especially the Joker), are always back by popular demand. It seems like there is never a proper Halloween party without the appearance of a pirate. Not to mention, TV classics, such as (surprisingly) Sesame Street, will be a big hit because it is their 40th Anniversary this year. Mascot costumes are a great choice for entertaining others as long as you don't mind sweating in it (but the good thing is, Ithaca weather, will make it less stuffy in the suit, giving you more time to do whatever kinds of embarrassing things you can do as a mascot without having others judge you for it). Despite running around as a gigantic fuzzy animal, respect other's personal bubbles and do not get accused as being a molester by touching others (weirdly!) without their permission. The lines between privacy and friendliness sometimes get very thin when it comes to mascotting. Star Trek also happens to be a popular costume choice this year; due to JJ Abrams success at the box office. Officially licensed Star Trek costumes are flying off the shelves even as I speak. If you want to scare your friends, the most popular trend this year is zombies. From Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, to I Am Legend, zombies are all over the entertainment industry, making it a popular choice to dress up as. Makeup may be a bit tedious, but it will pay off when your friends stare in horror at that bloody eyeball you have glued to your forehead while you laugh maniacally before them. Basic makeup for zombie costumes can be purchased online, from large supermarkets, , and the costume shops in Ithaca Mall. When you think about your costume, it is not a bad idea to plan a budget instead of splurging on something you will wear for one night. Fashions are meant to come and go: you don't want to be the unfashionable person, who wears the same thing every year now, do you? Basic parts of costumes, such as leggings for girls, and dark colored pants for guys, might not need to be purchased. Instead, dig through your closet and wear those pants you never had a chance to wear during the school year because they looked a bit funny in the light. Most of those parties will be too dark for anyone to see anything anyways. College is a place for freedom of expression, but there are “virtuous”  guidelines one should follow. Please don't show anything that other people might feel uncomfortable seeing, because if you were in their spot, how awkward would YOU feel? At Berkeley one year, one of the students decided to go to class stark naked every day. Surprisingly, the professor did not say a word, but his peers decided to voice their opinions against his action because by that time, they were already scarred for life. Therefore, three months later (what took so long…), the professor told him to put some clothes on to protect what was left of his classmates’  non-scarred mind. Once you’ve picked out your costume, whether it’s funny, scary, cute, smoking hot, or absolutely silly, remember to go out there and strut your stuff. Confidence is the key - don’t be afraid to take risks. Go out there, don’t worry too much about what others think, and remember to have fun! By Lisa Yang