Every year, the same debate comes up: are high schoolers too old to go trick-or-treating if they are only wearing a simple store-bought mask? The answer is no — high schoolers should absolutely be allowed to trick-or-treat, as long as they put actual effort into their costumes.

A recent survey of over 61 Gabrielino High School students found that most believe high schoolers are still young enough to enjoy trick-or-treating. In fact, the survey showed that 62.7 percent of students plan to trick-or-treat this year, with 100 percent of surveyed juniors saying yes. This is a clear sign that for most students, the tradition of trick-or-treating remains relevant and enjoyable during the Halloween season.

If high school students do participate, it is essential that they wear costumes that show some level of effort. Showing up in everyday clothes defeats the spirit of Halloween — and honestly, those who make no effort should not expect candy. The spirit of Halloween is all about playful transformation and shared imaginative fun. Wearing a costume is how we participate in that tradition.

A good costume does not need to be expensive or complex; it just needs to show creativity. It should be clear that some thought went into the idea, instead of simply pulling something from the closet. No costume should mean no trick-or-treating.

Many Gabrielino students share this view. Junior Bernadette Rodriguez said, “They should go all out and have a good costume. No-effort costumes are not welcome, to be honest.”

Senior Jeffrey Bi agreed, saying, “They need to put effort into their costume in order to trick-or-treat.”

While some believe Halloween is simply about having fun — regardless of how much effort goes into the costume — Collin Lam, a senior, was more lenient. He said, “As long as they have a costume, high schoolers should be able to trick-or-treat just like everyone else.”

Despite slight differences in opinion, the overall view among students is that putting effort into a costume is essential for participating in Halloween.

High schoolers are still young enough to enjoy the fun of Halloween. As long as they put in the effort, they should absolutely be out there trick-or-treating.