There are 20 minutes before the party and you don't have a costume. Most college students can relate to this scenario.

"It's not last minute yet, so I don't know what I'll be yet," said Krista Skinner, 21, a senior from Orem, majoring in home and family living. "I'd open my closet and see what is in there. I'd usually be a nerd - it's pretty easy. Or a baby is pretty easy, too. Just grab a toy and put your hair in pigtails. You can always pull out an old prom dress and be like a princess, fairy or Cinderella if you have a blue prom dress."

Princesses aren't the only costume you can pull off with a dress. Throw on a mask and you're at a masquerade ball. Doll yourself up and you can be a star at the Oscars. If you're into the gore, a little fake blood or white powder on your face and you could be a dead prom queen.

With the crazy college lifestyle, not many students have enough time to think ahead and plan tonight's dinner, let alone a costume for Halloween.

"I don't think I've planned ahead for what I wanted to be for Halloween since I was 12," said Anna Segrera, 21, a senior from Orem, majoring in linguistics. "It's kind of like I dress up as something if I want to go to a party. I might dress up this year. It depends how much homework I have."

Time isn't the only restraint on students selecting Halloween costumes. Tight student budgets and a plethora of options on which to spend limited funds put Halloween costumes at low priority for many students.

Skinner said she would only buy a Halloween costume after Halloween when they're on sale, "except I probably wouldn't be thinking about it then."

Dan Zvirzdin, said "heck no," when asked if he would ever purchase a Halloween costume. The 21-year-old sophomore from Ilion, N.Y., said he's not really into Halloween and hasn't dressed up since sixth grade.

Other students, who might not have a closet-full of last minute costume options, make a quick run to Deseret Industries. Segrera said she would only purchase a Halloween costume, or parts of one, at DI.

Zvirzdin is a fan of DI. "You can get random hats there - that's what we do," he said. Accessories can often make a costume. Hats, jewelry, makeup or wigs are sometimes all you need. "You can do a lot of stuff with makeup," Segrera said.

A little black makeup under an eye and a t-shirt with a big "P" is an easy way to be a black-eyed pea. From whiskers to mustaches, you don't have to be a makeup artist to create a costume. Fake freckles on your face and some overalls are all you need to be a country hick this Halloween.

Funds don't have to limit your creativity this Halloween. Wrap yourself in foil and you're a baked potato. Place a couch cushion on your front and backside and be a lost remote. If you're really looking for some attention and lots of fun, write "Kisses -- 25 cents" on a solid colored T-shirt and ask a friend to plant some kisses on your face while wearing bright red lipstick. Now you're a kissing booth. There are lots of simple and creative costumes that don't cost a dime. If the creative juices aren't flowing, do a Google search where you'll find oodles of ideas for last-minute costumes.

Borrowing costumes is also a popular option among college students. At this transitional stage in their lives, students are moving in and out of complexes and wards all the time. Who knows you're wearing what your roommate or sibling wore last Halloween? And even if they do, who cares?

"I went as a hot dog last year because my little sister had a costume from something she did. Dave [her husband] was a Mexican because we had a sombrero and a Mexican blanket," Segrera said.

Some students wouldn't know where to begin without their friends help in creating a last-minute costume. "I haven't thought about it at all," Zvirzdin said. "I'd probably have to borrow something from somebody. Halloween isn't really a part of my life. I'd never even thought of getting a costume so I'm kind of working on nothing right now."

If you're really low on ideas, trade clothes with your roommate and go as each other. If neither of you are easily offended or embarrassed, slight exaggerations can make this costume idea entertaining.

Overall the decision to spend the night in costume is determined by three factors; time, money and effort. Don't make Halloween a stressful night. Last minute costumes are often the most creative, but if the costume is a dud you can always blame it on a lack of planning.

Copyright Brigham Young University 30 Oct 2006