It is the spookiest time of the year, and the air is filled with spirits, tricks and treats.

Although Halloween allows us the chance to overdose on sugar and step into someone else’s shoes, it is important to remember to take this weekend with caution.

The staff at The Daily Eastern News has been indulging in our own Halloween fun, sharing costume ideas and emptying the candy bowl quicker than (Halloween comparison).

But as we indulge in the fun behind this holiday, like we do any holiday, it is important to remember to stay safe.

With the increase of disguises and sweets also comes the increase of dangerous situations.

Especially on a college campus, the dangers of binge-drinking, encountering strangers and running into trouble with other things that go bump in the night loom over us this weekend.

While we encourage everyone to participate in the festivities of their choosing to fully embrace the spirit of Halloween, we also would like to emphasize the importance of doing so in a way that will not harm you or the people around you.

We do not want to sound like a broken record by repeating the same phrase you have learned from your parents, teachers and older peers your entire life, but it is important to remember: Do not talk to strangers. On a regular day, we do not know what a person’s intentions are. Who is to say we will know any better when that person is wearing a mask?

If you find yourself, your friend or someone else in an uncomfortable or possibly dangerous situation, do not be afraid to intervene or remove yourself.

One weekend of fun is not worth a month, a year or lifetime of regret.

As college students, all of us here on campus have the same goal: to take advantage of the freedom we have here.

This freedom can be spent however we choose, and there is not one single way to celebrate Halloween or any occasion.

Whether you decide to go out and run through the streets of Charleston or throwing on your favorite pair of sweatpants and browsing Netflix, the staff wishes a happy and safe Halloween.