It's the time of the year again where people decide to put more effort into a one night costume than they do for a major class assignment. Yes, it's Halloween.

*cue the dancing pumpkin heads*

Though it is Halloween, and dressing up in costumes and eating bucket loads of candy is always fun, it is even more important to make sure that not only you are having fun during the season, but also everyone of different races, cultures, and backgrounds around you. This means, if your costume is comically or negatively portraying a person or figure of a specific culture, you probably shouldn't be wearing it.

You may think, by identifying by a certain race and culture that you are comfortable with, that everyone else is ok with their own culture, and that you and others would think it would be funny to "trade places" in culture, or just be funny for a night. But the truth is, it's not. What matters is that you're being racist, and offensive. It doesn't matter how old you are, you're responsible for the costume that you wear. Yes, even if you're a teenaged boy, and just wearing something ironic as a joke: if it has to do with a controversial topic, please, don't even try it.

So, you may be feeling very offended at this point or thinking "I'm not a racist, why am I being called racist?" The truth is, I don't know if you really are racist or not. But if you have an idea for a costume, and you feel the need to ask someone if it's really offensive, please, don't wear it. Save yourself the embarrassment, and go as something much less offensive. If anything, coordinate with your friends, and consult over less controversial topics, like being the main characters from Orange is the New Black, without using blackface, or wigs. If people tell you "You don't look like your character" if your character is culturally different from you, don't be offended! Be happy and be proud that you're a considerate, woke, human being, and that you care enough about others to not offend them or their culture.