As much as I would like to go to a Chuck E. Cheese or wear a tutu with my Cinderella glass slippers to school, l cannot because I am not 5 anymore.

There are a lot of things we get to do once we grow up, like get a job, buy a car and seek independence. With these, there are many things that we must give up: taking naps, easter egg hunts and trick-or-treating.

Many adults shut the door on the few high schoolers still trick or treating. Assuming that It is a rowdy teenager not in costume, roaming the streets smashing pumpkins, and harassing young children.

The reason people get so upset about teenagers trick or treating is that they can easily buy their own candy and the candy is meant for the excited little children.  My mom always said once you’re out of middle school It is your time to hang up the old glow stick and pillowcase and leave behind your trick or treating days.

Here are some ways to figure out if you are too old to still be trick or treating.

If you are old enough to have a job, like babysitting, then you have money and can get the candy yourself.

I would say that once middle school is over so is trick or treating. But not to fear, Halloween can still be fun without the trick or treating.  

If you’re a teen still looking for a way to jump in on the free candy action, volunteer to take a sibling, cousin, or other young relative trick or treating.

I know It is tempting to throw on some cat ears and dump a whole bowl of jolly ranchers your neighbor left on their doorstep into your pillowcase, but you’ve grown up now and need to move on from your childhood.

Don’t rob children of their childhood filled with candy just because you want to take the last jumbo candy bar from that one cool house at the end of the block. If dressing up is your motivation, then you can volunteer to work at a haunted house, have a costume party, or dress up while taking someone else.

If your motivation is candy then you could go buy your own, hand out candy and eat the extras, or wait until your younger sibling comes home and take what they don’t want. If you’re creative and your motivation is getting into the Halloween spirit then you can make decorations for the house.

Finally, If the whole social interaction thing sounds horrible, then stay in and watch a scary movie at home while internally laughing at all the people walking around all night in itchy costumes.

There are many ways you can celebrate Halloween but now that you’re in high school, trick or treating is no longer an option.