TAUNTING: Despite several advantages to teens trick or treating, it is still looked down upon, for no clear reason, by members of the community.
By Kathleen Lynch, Staff Writer
Halloween can be a tricky holiday. There’s simply no way to tell how old is too old. While the concept is still widely unpopular, there are some benefits of high schoolers trick or treating that should not be overlooked. High schoolers could spark more excitement over Halloween for the young children. This could preserve the essence of childhood for a longer period of time. Also, trick or treating could alleviate some of the pressures of high school students face and allow them to be a kid again for one night. For many people, high school is often stressful and exhausting. Between getting good grades, choosing a career path, all the social drama, and figuring out who you are, high school forces us to abandon our childhood, leaving us craving the normalcy and warmth of being a kid again. Halloween provides a much needed break from adult responsibilities, and a chance to get in touch with your inner child again.
On the other hand, it is often thought as inappropriate. While there are benefits, it is felt that some high schoolers grossly misuse the holiday. “Halloween is a holiday for little kids. For them its about having fun, for teens it’s about getting free candy,” Lauren DeFrank, a freshman at Riverside Community College (RCC), said. While this may be the case, there are some high schoolers out there genuinely trying to get in touch with their inner child. Remember when you were a little kid, and all you wanted was to be grown up and be like the older kids? Well, it’s the same for high schoolers. We’re just little kids at heart being forced to grow up too fast. High schoolers should not let negative opinions deter them from having childish fun for a brief time, one night a year.