When Halloween comes around, there a many things that come to mind; carving pumpkins, witches, black cats, costumes, and trick or treating.  While high school and middle school age kids do dress up, they are given a lot of flack if they want to participate in the simple act of knocking on doors for candy.

This Halloween I went trick or treating myself with some younger family. A couple of people, even though I had a container too, wouldn’t give me any candy. I didn’t throw a fit or demand I get the same treatment as the four year old in my group, but it bothered me.

I am sixteen, have my permit, will soon have a job, and in a little over a year will be going to college. How these factors lead people to the conclusion that I am too old to dress up and receive candy for jokes is unknown to me. High schoolers should be allowed to have fun too. It seems that kids my age are always so stressed. We, students balance jobs, school, and extracurricular activities and could always use a fun or relaxing break.

In my opinion, and hopefully in most parent’s minds, trick or treating is a more fun and safer option to going to a unsupervised party. People should be glad teenagers want to be involved in constructive events in their communities.

Overall, I think that people who criticize high schoolers for trick or treating are out of line. Let older kids dress up, get some candy, and take a break from their stressful lives of work, school, and extracurriculars.