Teenagers are the most stereotyped age group: they are often characterized as selfish, disrespectful, and lazy. When adults see us at the door on Halloween, some may think we are taking away candy they bought for younger kids, while others are proud of us for still being youthful for as long as possible. We are all wondering how old is too old for trick or treating.
Technically, there is no right or wrong answer to this question. Everyone has their own opinion, and we can’t all agree. However, by collecting some thoughts from teachers and students here at Feehan we can get an idea of what people around us feel.
Mrs. Doliber, a guidance counselor at Feehan (as well as the club moderator of the ‘Rock Report) shares her thoughts:
“I am all for continuing to trick or treat as you get older. I think that it is a fun and wholesome activity that allows students to hang on to childhood a little longer instead of being in a rush to grow up or maybe partake in activities that could be dangerous and lead to trouble.”
It is known that alcohol and drug use increase on Halloween, and as it gets darker earlier, parties with dangerous activities might take place. Many are quick to judge teens for trick-or-treating, but as Mrs. Doliber stated, this is a wholesome activity compared to other activities teens may be pressured into doing.
Emily Michenzie, a sophomore here at Feehan shares a similar opinion by stating:
“Trick or treating is an engaging and fun experience that really captures the childhood elements of the holiday. Many people are confined to mature standards; I believe that trick or treating is a widely accepted practice that allows people to be childish again.”
Teenagers are in between being an adult and a child, although many try to fit us into one of these categories. While we are often challenged with adult tasks, we are not adults. Halloween is one night a year we can act like real kids, as Emily stated, it allows us to be childish again.
Ms. Kelly, an English teacher here, shares her point of view: “I don’t see any problem with teenagers trick or treating. It’s a great opportunity to get off your phone, socialize with friends, and get free candy! I can’t think of anything better than that!”
The average fifteen to eighteen-year-old spends seven and a half hours on their device per day (osfhealthcare.com). This is disappointing when thinking of how much we could have accomplished instead of being on our phones. Halloween is the perfect opportunity for an exciting face-to-face (or mask-to-mask) interaction with friends and other kids of all age groups.
Sophia Sullivan, a senior here, shares her thoughts:
“ Trick or treating is better than partaking in other potentially dangerous activities as a teenager. However, from my experience trick or treating as a kid, the older kids tend to take more than they are supposed to, or just cause trouble in general towards the younger kids. This is obviously not to say every teenager’s trick or treating is causing trouble, but they are more likely to than the younger kids with their parents watching. Also the costumes are likely to be more scary or violent which I would assume parents wouldn’t want scaring their kids. There are plenty of options where teenagers could stay out of trouble and still have fun Halloween, such as hanging with friends watching a movie, or even supervising younger siblings if they still want to be part of that nostalgia.”
It is true many teens may have good intentions while trick or treating, but the age group does have a reputation for a reason. Some may say that we have had our time trick or treating when we were younger, now it’s someone else’s turn.
Whatever you decide to do this Halloween, keep in mind that it is always most important to stay safe, Happy Halloween!
