Skimpy clothing without the judgment, chocolate without the guilt and partying without a legitimate reason—all the things we love about this spooky holiday.

Host a Monster Mash Bash:

So we know you’re probably planning on heading to the frats this weekend for some of their parties, but what’s a Halloween without a pre-monster mash bash? Forgo the stress of providing dinner and make some Halloween punch instead (blood anyone?). Try this recipe for a spooky treat.

Bloody Vampire Punch:

1 quart or liter cranberry juice

1 liter 7-Up or Sprite

1 package frozen strawberries in syrup

thawed Grenadine

Place strawberries in a punch bowl (Large black cauldron is preferred)

Add cranberry juice and stir

Pour in 7-Up or Sprite

Pour in Grenadine

Do not stir—SO THE GRENADINE LOOKS LIKE BLOOD (yum)

Add alcohol to your desired amount!

Maybe throw in some spine-tingling snacks like gummy eyeballs, organs and brains to bring back the creepiest memories of childhood. You can’t have a great Halloween pre-game (or all-night event) without some awesome decorations too. Keep the lights dim and be sure to throw some cotton cobwebs (easily found at any drug store) all over the walls. Keep a plastic pumpkin filled with your favorite candies on the coffee table—you may be sophisticated college kids, but we know you still love candy! We happen to love the pumpkin shaped Reese’s.

It’s that one night of the year when it is totally fair to wear the craziest costume and go wild. So encourage your friends to deck themselves out because everyone loves a party filled with vampires, ministers, French maids and Na’vi.

Roadtrip to State Street:

Two words: Halloween and Wisconsin.

State Street, the infamous center of University of Wisconsin, attracts around 50,000 costumed partygoers on Saturday for “Freakfest.” And good news—it’s only a five and a half hour road trip away! So pack up your car with loads of costumes and some junk food for the road, and head out in time to catch the performances by OK Go, Stealing Angels, Mechanical Kids, DJ Will Calder and more. Be prepared to see anything from cross-dressing frat boys to the most obscure costumes like an H1N1 Virus and Facebook. Best of all, there’s a costume contest with expensive prizes like vacations and flat-screen TVs.

While Halloween in Madison already has a legendary reputation, this year’s Freakfest is said to be the freakiest and nuttiest of all. Make sure to plan ahead though (even though we always stress spontaneity) because you can’t get onto State Street without a wristband, and most of the clubs sell all of their tickets the week before.

Visit a Haunted House:

The Darkness

This haunted house located at 1525 South 8th Street, is a St. Louis local favorite during the fall. Rated the 13th best-haunted house nationally in 2010, The Darkness has its name for a reason! The 30,000 square foot warehouse hosts a walk-through section filled with live, shivering ghosts and zombies who will literally chase you down narrow corridors.

We won’t tell you more and ruin the surprise, but it might be wise to wear sneakers. The Darkness also features a brand new 3-D room that is sure to totally creep out all who enter. This year, the warehouse underwent its biggest renovation in 17 years, and the newly added second floor funeral home is said to be the scariest place of all. If you think you can handle it, make sure to purchase your tickets from www.scarefest.com.You don’t want to miss out, and tickets sell out fast—so pre-purchasing them isn’t a bad idea.

And don’t forget to read the WARNING advisory before entering…