Halloween is one of the most popular holidays in America, and is spreading worldwide in different forms. It’s known as a celebration for all ages: kids dress up, adults pass out candy, young adults go to haunted houses. In all this commotion, what do the teenagers do? 

Once entering high school it can be challenging to find a place in the world. We’re told to act like adults and be involved in the community, but we’re treated as children and told to stop talking. The pressure of Halloween doesn’t help our situation. We’re teased by parents if we go trick or treating, then shamed for “growing up” too quickly and losing our childlike innocence by not wanting to leave the house. Is it wrong for us to dress up for just one day a year, afterall, we’ve been taught to do it for the past fourteen years? Or to stay home and watch scary movies with a couple friends? Who decides when someone is old enough to no longer enjoy or participate in certain activities? We should be the ones to decide when we are ready to discontinue the trick or treating tradition for oneself. 

In my opinion, matured members of society that have a problem with a sixteen year old trick or treating should eat their own words. With not much left to do on a Halloween night, someone could be influenced to go to a “iconic teen movie high school party.”, the events that go on in situations that are ten times worse than sacrificing a handful of candy to a high school student. Allowing and not guilting us about wanting to go out for the childish thrill of politely asking for candy, can prevent worse decisions from happening.

In the long run, who does it hurt? How could one possibly be negatively affected by a couple teens trick or treating? This generation is growing up faster than previous generations have, so let us hold on to our last shred of childhood.