A walk down memory lane -- via Halloween costumes

Happy Halloween! It usually isn't high on my list of favorite holidays, but I've been so excited about it this year. I work nights, so a lot of things like haunted hayrides and zombie pub crawls usually don't work out with my schedule. In fact, this is the first Halloween I'll have plans in three years. (Two of those years I can blame on work. The other one I can blame on my immune system not doing its job.)

I decided this year I wanted to be a normal 20-something and have a normal 20-something Halloween experience, so I took the day off and I'm ready for all the tricks and treats the holiday will bring.

But what is Halloween without costumes? I'm going as an updated version of Princess Peach -- any excuse to wear hot pink and a crown is fine by me. It's a good costume, but probably not my best from recent years.

As a freshman in college, my best friend Tashia and I dressed up as ninjas, complete with real ninja weapons we borrowed from a friend who does martial arts.

My sophomore year, a group of us dressed up as "Mean Girls." At the time, I thought we were the coolest people on the planet. And I still think that. I know there are five people in this photo. We had two Karens. It's fine.

My junior year, I had to work, so I couldn't get too crazy with my costume, but I think I still pulled off a pretty good nerd. I had suspenders and a bowtie and glasses -- that's all you really need. The festivities after work included my first-ever trip to a Waffle House, hence my excitement over a mediocre waffle in the picture.

And this year's costume... 

... is unfinished. But it's almost done! I'm planning a post-Halloween post to share my fully accessorized and adorable costume that I pulled off with less than $30. Ya know, in case you need an idea for next year, 360-something days in advance...