When Kansas University students come back to Lawrence they face some tough decisions. Long, short, straight, curly, blond or red? With so many different hairstyles available, making the right decision can be daunting.

For most students, choosing a hairstyle means finding something stylish and easy to pull together before class.

Ryan Hopkins, Overland Park senior, chooses simplicity and style.

“It’s got to be short, easy, no comb involved,” Hopkins said.

According to Penny Hermann, Great Clips stylist, popular styles for men and women will be easy to maintain. Guys will be going for short and messy looks. For girls, the styles will be straight, long and layered.

“Some girls go really short, but most stick to looks that are easy to handle and that they can throw up in ponytails in the morning,” Hermann said.

“Guys choose something they can throw a hat over in the morning and go.”

Color is also a big factor in deciding what hairstyle to choose.

Hermann said natural colors, such as reds and blond, will be popular this fall. Girls like the large, chunky highlights and lowlights. Guys prefer highlighted tips in natural colors.

Jennifer Lansbury, Beauty Biz stylist, said guys were getting braver when it came to changing their hair color.

“I’m getting more guys in here wanting to do highlights,” Lansbury said. “The guys want it subtle, so it’s not noticeable; it’s more like sun-bleached, so people don’t think they’re going to the salon and getting their hair done.”

When students go to the salon to get their hair done, many are looking to celebrities to find the style they want. According to Lansbury, students tend to get their inspiration from celebrities who regularly change their hairstyle.

“People bring three pictures of movie stars in here,” Lansbury said. “It’s either Britney Spears, Jennifer Aniston or Meg Ryan’s short, choppy look.”

Ryan Hopkins, Overland Park senior, receives a haircut from Addie Cullen, manager at Great Clips at the Kansas Union.

Hermann said guys were fond of the long and messy hobbit-style cut from “The Lord of the Rings.”

Style and color are not the only decisions students must make.

Finding a stylist can be almost as difficult as choosing a style. Ellen Johnson, Topeka junior, asked around to find the best stylist for her.

“I just asked for the best person there and they gave me the best,” Johnson said. “You have to be cautious with that because a lot of times when you call a styling place, the person that answers the phone might schedule you with themselves depending on how it’s run. So you have to know who you want or you’ll get some rookie.”

Deciding how much to spend on hairstyles can be a critical decision as well. For Johnson, the sky is the limit on how much she would pay for her hair. But for those students who don’t have much money, shopping around for the best prices and asking friends for recommendations can be very valuable.

Once students have chosen their stylist and a hairstyle that suits them best, maintaining the style throughout the year is important.

Hermann recommends getting a trim every six weeks to two months to help keep hair healthy and free of split ends.

Johnson is careful of how long she lets her hair grow without cutting it.

“I just get it cut so that it doesn’t look like a mullet,” Johnson said. “Anything I can do to avoid a mullet is the route I take.”