An unfortunate, but inevitable fact of life is that things change and no one experiences this more than teenagers: friendships fade and new ones form, kids find new interests and let others dwindle, and students leave behind middle school and have to prepare for college. One particular thing that changes as well is how one celebrates holidays, namely Halloween.

As a kid, Halloween is all about the candy. Parents start dressing up their children at a young age to walk around the neighborhood and trick-or- treat with them which becomes the standard for each year. This is evident in the streets of Fishhawk as hordes of costumed kids go door to door asking for candy each year.

But what happens once one reaches that age when they don’t count as a child anymore? Is it still acceptable to participate in an adored tradition?

When one becomes a teenager, Halloween changes. Adults handing out candy look differently at a 17-year-old wearing a superhero costume, than they would a seven-year-old. There’s an entire stigma surrounding teenagers on this holiday which consequently happens to be famous for pranks and practical jokes as well.

It’s also not socially acceptable for older kids to dress up as their favorite character and go ask for candy which is kind of ridiculous. These teens have been conditioned to enjoy the act of trick-or-treating by receiving the positive reinforcements of candy after going to each house.

After years of having fun doing this, they are suddenly told that they are too old to continue a beloved tradition.

Senior Ginger Haggbloom spent the night watching the new season of Stranger Things, but did go trick-or-treating her freshman and sophomore years. “It’s okay for people to go trick-or-treating when you’re older. You do you,” said Haggbloom.

Since there is no written down age limit for trick-or- treating, teenagers should be free to dress up and get candy at will without any judgement.