It's that time of year: the trees are bright orange, pumpkin patches are bustling, and your Netflix is overflowing with horror movies to be watched. That's right, you guessed it. It's Halloween. Some hate it, and some find themselves basking in every spooky moment of it.

For Syracuse students, Halloween means running around frat row to try and find a non-exclusive party, wearing 500 different costumes, and basically freezing to death in the crisp October air. Here's your guide to surviving this Halloweekend, and hopefully, it'll be better than the last.

Plan your costumes ahead of time.

If you thought the Party City on Erie Boulevard was a mess during St. Patrick's Day, you have NOT seen it during Halloween. Every aisle is littered with alien tutus and leftover headbands, and it makes it nearly impossible to find what you want. I recommend taking a trip to Party City with your girls a month in advance to beat the line, and peacefully obtain whatever you need for your costumes.

Be prepared for a ton of walking.

Frat row will be crawling with freshman girls struggling to find a party, and as the night goes on, each party will get more and more crowded. There'll be a point where the frat will close its door in your face to prevent overcrowding. If that does end up happening to you, be prepared to take a hike down to Euclid or Ackerman in the 20-degree weather.

Complaining about it will only make it worse. Take this as your warning: your feet will hurt at the end of the night.

Your costume will not be original; get over it.

Turns out a ton of girls actually do want to dress up as an alien. You may have spent several weeks planning your outfit, but Becky from the floor below you has the same exact neon bodysuit. That bitch. It doesn't matter that you spent 33 dollars over your budget to try and be original as possible because sure enough, someone out there is wearing the same exact thing as you. Don't take it personally.

Stay hydrated (and not just with Four Loko).

Vodka in a water bottle is not water, ladies. Dehydration hits us all at the most inappropriate moments, and Halloweekend is a disaster waiting to happen. Drink as much water as possible before the pregame, and then get ready to tally up your shots. Rally, bitches.

If you want to hook up with someone, this weekend is the one.

Picture this: a tight shirt that exposes every bit of boob you have, skirt so high that your butt cheeks are falling out, and fishnet leggings. I just described every man's fantasy. Girls are running around half-naked, and these boys are eating it up. Take this as your opportunity to jump into character and seduce that boy you've been eyeing in your writing class. Trust me, that schoolgirl look is doing you well.

Have a good buddy system, and stick to it.

It's 3 a.m. and the party is beginning to die down. However, your girl gang is nowhere to be found. Don't let this happen to you. Stick by your friends, and make sure one of you is watching the other. Even if one of your girls goes to get "just a drink," make sure you follow her. Losing your friends is not a fun experience, trust me.

If you're planning on going out all four days of Halloweekend, get ready to rally.

This isn't a game anymore. You'll be drunk for about 96 hours straight, so you better be ready to nap, get dressed, drink, repeat. There's nothing worse than dying out on the second night because you got alcohol poisoning. Eat well, sleep as much as you can, and recharge.

Halloweekend is one of the weekends you'll never forget (or will forget because you had too much jungle juice). Enjoy it as much as you can, but don't forget to stay safe and watch what you're doing. Let your nights be a treat, not a trick.