Halloween is a state of mind. The mere word conjures images of leaf-covered streets, giggling children on a sugar high and colorful costumes announcing which cartoon character is currently the coolest.

However here at Penn State, the Halloween mind frame has been altered.

Now when we think of Halloween we envision drunken angels, cats in fishnet tights and enough frat boys in drag to start their own cabaret act.

Bear in mind as you read this I'm not against Halloween, nor am I against a drunken good time. But every now and then it's fun to remember the innocent beginnings to our drunken stories that end with, "and I woke up naked on Old Main lawn."

When you're young, the greatest excitement comes from watching your plastic pumpkin fill with candy; now our excitement comes from watching the shot glass fill.

You'd plan your costume months in advance, thinking how awesome it will be when you're dressed as your favorite Ninja Turtle. Your creativity will be rewarded with a Hershey bar, Donatello.

While Halloween was not always an innocent event, we all remember the years when we wore black and eggs and shaving cream were the weapons of choice; there's something precious about our Halloween memories.

When choosing costumes now the word practical never factors into your decision. Will I be freezing if I wear the skirt that's so short you can see things even my doctor hasn't? Now this is not an attack on the costumes that girls wear, because being too macho to wear a costume is even more stupid.

I just wonder when we all stopped being creative? When did we let our fear of looking dumb take over?

I greatly appreciate the few of you who come up with original costumes. The people whose costumes aren't bought at Rude Boyz, 200 W. College Ave., and who still go trick or treating are my heroes. Not only do you actually encompass the spirit of Halloween, at the end of the night, when everyone else is getting sick you'll be counting your Tootsie Rolls.

Part of the excitement of Halloween is the world of fantasy.

How often do you get to deny reality and not end up on the losing end of a dot com empire? The opportunity to be someone else, and hide behind a costume offers the type of freedom you can't find anywhere else. Although, what you dress as does say a lot about you. Oh, and wearing fishnets with your low cut top and knee high boots isn't a costume. It's Saturday night.

And while I agree that there is something innately funny about a guy in drag, if you're going to do it, do it right. Get all done up, brush your wig, wear high heals, shave your legs and do it right! If Halloween has taught me anything over the years it's that halfway is crap.

People are afraid of going all out, they think if they wear their everyday clothes paired with some bunny ears they'll look a lot cooler then if they were fully dressed up. That's just stupid.

If you're going to do it, do it. And if you're not, then just stay home. Many people use the masks of Halloween to behave differently.

Halloween is a holiday of pure decadence. Whether it's excessive amounts of candy, fun or body glitter, which is only acceptable on Halloween, this is the one time of year that we all get to let our ids run wild.

So indulge this Halloween, but not just in candy and alcohol. Indulge into that kid inside you, the one who loves Disney movies and finds joy in jumping in leaf piles.

Indulge in the creative side of you and come up with a costume that says more than, "I'll show you my fairy dust if you show me your pitchfork."