With Halloween just around the corner, University of Wisconsin students are still wondering when to break out their costumes.

“I’m still confused!” said one student at Memorial Union Thursday with regard to which weekend — this weekend or the one after Halloween — will host the true hoopla Madison has come to know and love.

Another upperclassman echoed the uncertainty.

“We trust campus voices like [campus newspapers] to tell us [when it will be],” explained Nick Mueller, who said regardless of when the “official” festivities are marked, he would celebrate by “spending an evening with the ladies.”

As for his costume, Mueller said he might just go as a corporate criminal.

Asuka Fukushima of Japan said she eagerly awaits an initiation to the Halloween scene. She says she has no concrete idea about what the extended holiday will hold for her.

“It’s my first time to celebrate Halloween,” she said.

But the special time of year has a reputation that precedes it — perhaps even an international one. Even Fukushima had an idea of the scale to be expected on State Street and elsewhere.

“They celebrate Halloween so big,” she said, eyes wide.

The big celebration, if it is anything like those of past years, will see a massive influx of people to the State Street scene.

Annie Kaboord and Meg Rebholz of Wauwatosa East High School were in town early in anticipation of Halloween thanks to the state teachers’ convention.

“We’re getting dressed up as ’80s rock stars and we’re going to go party,” Kaboord said eagerly. She said her sister also plans to come to Madison for similar reasons.

Rebholz explained the need for preparation. “We came up early to shop for costumes,” she said. “Halloween here is pretty popular, and I know lots of guys who are coming here just to party.”

UW student Kelly Hohenthauer echoed the girls’ sentiments.

An “experienced” Halloween veteran, Hohenthauer is also making plans for another fun time. She said weather will not spoil her fun.

“I’m getting dressed up and then I’ll go on State Street. I did last year and it was really cold,” she recalled.

Other students concurred with the need to dress up for Halloween, although ideas seemed to be largely fluid as the dual weekends approached.

“I think I’ll go as one of the Dead Presidents, just like in the movie,” Joel Martin said.

When it comes to planned activities, Martin admits he will probably stick to the usual.

“I wanted to find something cool to do, but it won’t matter when I’m running around on State Street,” he said. “I’m going to party hard. Things can get pretty rowdy.”