The season of witches and werewolves, of jack-o-lanterns and skeletons, and of superstitions and pranks, is just around the corner. Halloween delivers sugary scents and long-lasting memories, so why have so many of us highschoolers brushed aside this holiday that we once held so dear? Perhaps when we were younger we had this notion that someday we would outgrow this festivity, but have we?

Trick-or-treating on Halloween can provide high school students with a short break from external stress, as well as an opportunity to spend some quality time with younger siblings. Most importantly, Halloween grants us a chance to just have fun. After over two years of isolation from our neighbors and community where Halloween seemed, to many, like a safety risk, this wonderful event should definitely make a reappearance.

Halloween activities are a great way to take our minds off all of the tests, projects, and overdue assignments that collapse onto our plates during this time. For juniors and seniors, this anxiety-free evening is a great way to wind down from the SATs, ACTs, and PSATs. Social activities reduce our stress from schoolwork, college applications, potential part-time jobs, and any other obligations we may have, boosting our mental health. At the end of the day, setting aside a few hours for Halloween won’t make or break your GPA or sour your resume, so why not escape into a fantastical world for one night?

COVID-19 said no to opening doors to kids in silly costumes, no to trading candy with our friends and eating our share obsessively within the following weeks. But the majority of PHS is now unmasked, and Princetonians are generally less fearful of seeing each other’s faces—a gradual return to normal is occuring, and this should include celebrating Halloween in all the ways that we missed out on. COVID-19 induced a massive amount of pressure and loss in so many, fracturing families and communities, so it’s a blessing that we may finally get to take back the Halloweens we lost. We often forget that Halloween isn’t just about gorging on sweets and dressing up: it’s about bringing our community together. On Hallows’ Eve, almost every family across town makes an effort to create a positive (-ly spooky) experience for each other’s children, buying candy and putting up decorations. It’s a chance for kids and teens to say hello to and play pretend with their neighbors who they almost never see. We can’t let the pandemic blow out the candles of this precious, unifying holiday.

Trick-or-treating can be a bonding experience, not just between friends or neighbors, but also between siblings. Taking your younger sibling trick-or-treating may at first sound like a tiresome evening, or even like a waste of time, but for some it may actually be extremely rewarding. Many teens (myself included) have a somewhat rocky relationship with their younger siblings, but a few hours together could strengthen this connection. Some of my most cherished memories have come from trick-or-treating with my younger brother when I was in middle school. That opportunity to spend some time with him truly brought us closer—we were usually surrounded by our own friends and we didn’t make time to be around each other. With an abundance of other commitments and responsibilities, most of us could likely benefit from having this time to nourish our sibling relationships.

Just like finding a board game that was your favorite when you were younger and remembering why you adored it so much, rediscovering the anticipation for trick-or-treating may turn out to be an overwhelmingly positive experience. Yes, we are all growing and maturing, but that doesn’t mean that we should completely discard the things that brought us joy. You’d be amazed at how enjoyable trick-or-treating can still be for us highschoolers. Be it thrifting clothing for elaborate costumes exploring the nooks and crannies of Princeton, or roaming Princeton University at dark, Halloween will not disappoint.

With autumn finally upon us, Halloween is so close you can almost taste the delicious flavors of your favorite sweets. As kids, our most treasured pastime during this holiday season was trick-or-treating, but the belief that this can no longer be an activity we enjoy is simply not true. In fact, high school students could largely benefit from the opportunity to relieve stress, spend time bonding with family members and the rest of the community, and reclaim the giddy excitement of Halloween that many of us had as kids. After all we’ve been through, we deserve to love Halloween again, so don’t be afraid to slip into a costume this year and prowl the streets.