Too Old to be Dressing Bold?
By Christina Muttavanchery ('23)
You would think it’s easy to get candy as a reward for dressing up and actually putting effort into a costume, but you are W-R-O-N-G, wrong!
I still reflect on the most embarrassing Halloween of my LIFE. It was freshman year, 2019, and 14 year old me walked up to a house, giddy with the determination to get at least 3 gigantic Hershey Chocolate bars by the end of the night, but I was rudely mistaken when a woman answered her door, a bit suspicious at first when she saw me. The first thing uttered was not “What a great costume!”, but “So…how old are you?” As she had the gigantic Hershey bar in her hands, hovering over my bag, I said “Fourteen.” in complete confidence, a little confused on why it was a matter to discuss. Then the chocolate crazed misery fell on me when she retracted her hands away from the magical Hershey's bar and gave me a Tootsie Roll instead…A TOOTSIE ROLL. No hate on the candy, but I was crushed like Jolly Ranchers at the bottom of a wrinkly pillowcase.
A live remake of Christina on Halloween night.
Photo courtesy of BabyBlooze
That was my last night of trick or treating, but I had never explained the reason to anyone who asked me about why I stopped. I had to start my duties as the role of the Bearer of Candy at the door instead, but I constantly thought back to this memory. It got me thinking, and I think it's only fair to let the heartbroken Bearer of Candy spill some truth: TEENAGERS CAN STILL TRICK OR TREAT, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise! You’re spending one day of the year to be able to walk around and masquerade as someone else, whether they be fictional or real. That in it itself is fun, but add in the candy, and you have a day in a lifetime!
Halloween is also a fun time to hang out with your friends and do an activity that may seem childish on normal days, but won’t be on October 31st. Even though COVID-19 is still among us, lurking in the shadows, you can still celebrate by dressing up and doing activities with family and a few friends. Teens should still be encouraged to dress up for Halloween because, to be honest, the once childhood wonder we found on Christmas Eve looking out for Santa Claus disappeared throughout our teen years because…well you know why. The thing many adults don’t understand is that Halloween night is the one time of the year us teenagers can be a little childish again and enjoy the little things like candy. We often forget that these are the few last moments of our childhood that we still have left.
Even if you choose not to trick or treat this year, you can still enjoy Halloween! You can always put on something to watch, preferably a Halloween classic like Hocus Pocus or The Nightmare Before Christmas, while eating the many treasures you got that day (either from someone’s house or the grocery store) and start thinking of your next masterpiece of a costume for next year. Monster mash hard, everyone! Happy Halloween!
Even something as simple as unleashing your inner Pennywise should be allowed for teens!
Photo courtesy of ByrdieBanner courtesy of WWAYCover photo courtesy of Vox.