If there’s something else college students are notorious for besides poverty and hunger, it’s procrastination. I can have weeks to work on a project and instead of starting early, I always challenge myself to finish it the night before.

What can I say? I work better under pressure. Since college kids procrastinate on everything from homework to finalizing dinner plans, it makes sense that everyone is scrambling to put together a last-minute Halloween costume.

If you’re searching for something unique, think back to your childhood Halloween days for inspiration. I’ve dressed up as a cat, hula girl and a hippie, but I never had more fun than when I was a witch.

My mom assisted me in making sure I was the ugliest witch possible. We smeared green paint on my face and placed a few warts on my nose. I hit the streets in my tattered black dress with broom in hand, eager to scare the neighborhood kids. When the first girl I made eye contact with screamed and clung to her dad, I knew my job was done.

Too often, people are compelled to put a lot of money into a costume to impress. Revisiting classics like a witch, cat or ghost can be as simple as cutting two holes out of a white sheet. Also, imagine how original — and modest! — you will look in an endless sea of naughty nurses and hot teachers.

Another idea is to dress like your favorite TV or movie character when you were growing up. The majority of us are ’90s babies, which gives us a wealth of characters to choose from. Think back to the days when Nickelodeon was mostly cartoons and MTV still played music. Dressing like the cast of “Hey Arnold!” is not only cheap, but it is sure to prompt good conversations with fellow partygoers.

When it’s Halloween and you’re in need of a costume for the night, it’s easy to surrender and buy an expensive costume for the sake of convenience. Instead, spend a few minutes reminiscing about your favorite childhood costume or character. Chances are, you already have the ingredients in your closet to create the costume.

Holidays like Halloween tend to lose their magic when you get older. Recapture the spirit of the holiday by reflecting on what you loved about it as a kid. Dress scary, not sexy. Gorge yourself on candy corn until you feel like you might throw up. Use the holiday to act like a kid again.