“Trick-or-treat,” says the seventeen-year-old, deep-voiced boy who wore a t-shirt and jeans and expects to actually get candy.

As Halloween approaches, most of us have an inner-conflict about whether or not to trick-or-treat and wear a costume. While there are some who claim to enjoy passing out candy, many of us want to relive our childhood memories and continue the tradition of going door to door. The end of trick-or-treating signifies another step toward adulthood and moving on with our lives, which can be difficult to take in. Most of us cannot dress as cute little pumpkins or puppy dogs and not feel just a little bit insecure. When we do go trick-or-treating, however, it can be somewhat awkward to reach in a bag of candy alongside a five-year-old kid. But, is it really so wrong for us to want to continue our tradition?

According to Chicagonow.com, several cities across the country, including Meridian, Missiouri; Bishopville, South Carolina; and Boonsboro, Maryland are setting the age limit of trick-or-treating at twelve. This new age limit is enforced to provide safety to single mothers and senior citizens who may be intimated by a giant teenager wearing a costume or a mask. It also protects younger children from violence or bullying that may be caused by teenagers. Furthermore, with teens not out late at night getting candy, there may be fewer pranks and vandalism throughout the community.

Joseph Susick, an English teacher at RHS, enjoys passing out candy at Halloween, and, more importantly, creating costumes. He discovered his love for costumes his freshman year of high school when he dressed up as Gandhi for a history project. He has continued to dress up every year thereafter and wears his costumes to school each year to show what he has created. Susick has dressed up as Captain Crunch, the Heisman Trophy, Colonel Sanders and many others. He explained why he continues his tradition every Halloween.

“It’s fun to dress up and it is important to have fun in life…. It makes me feel like a little kid. It allows me to have a creative output,” Susick said.

Susick stopped trick-or-treating in sixth grade when he was called out by an adult because he was larger than the other children. He noted that he wished he could have continued to trick-or-treat for a couple more years, but he thinks that once teenagers are in high school, they should give up their pillowcases full of candy for another tradition.

For many of us, it is difficult to stop a tradition we have enjoyed for so long. Although I have enjoyed dressing up and getting candy as a tissue box and ice cube in the past, it is time for us to look forward to the future and see what lies ahead of us. It is fun to dress up and create costumes like Susick, but most of us are nearing the end of our trick-or-treating nonsense. While this may seem like a miniscule and unimportant part of life, it is the beginning of our time to make more mature decisions.

“Trick or treat,” says the cute little kid who reaches for candy as you hold out your bowl.