One of the most popular activities on Halloween is trick-or-treating, but many high school students wonder if they are too old for the fun tradition. Since the majority of trick-or-treaters are in elementary school, this can leave teenagers feeling out of place. However, there are still some who want to participate as a way to maintain a sense of childhood.
“I like being able to kind of just walk around my neighborhood, and also the candy,” said freshman Kat Laing. “I don’t think there is an age limit [to trick-or-treating].”
Another main reason high school students want to continue trick-or-treating is because they appreciate the candy that they receive. This motivation keeps teenagers continuing the activity much longer than they normally would as they believe there is a positive outcome. The opportunity to collect free candy and having an excuse to eat it all is something that some students do not want to pass up as it only comes around once a year.
However, even the chance to get free sweets is not enough to convince all students that trick-or-treating is a worthy passtime.
“I think that once you get to high school, like maybe freshman year, is the last year you can trick-or-treat,” said Senior Reese Lancaster.
Many upperclassmen choose not to participate because they believe that while trick-or-treating can be fun, it is more for younger students and they have other things they would rather do on Halloween with friends and family.
To make trick-or-treating more inclusive, blue pumpkins are used as a symbol outside houses to show that the inhabitants support autistic children and welcome them to knock in order to receive sweets. The symbol can also go in the opposite direction, as sometimes children with autism carry blue baskets so that the candy distributors understand their situation. These aspects of trick-or-treating make it a fun experience for anyone who wants to participate in it.
The love for trick-or-treating seems to decrease as students enter high school. Many underclassmen choose to participate in the activity because of the lure of candy and the connection they hope to keep with their former selves, while the older students stay at home so that they can spend more time with their friends.
