Leaves are changing, football is in full swing, and pumpkin patch pictures are multiplying by the minute on Instagram — fall is most definitely upon us, and after a sweltering summer it is most definitely welcome.

A popular fall favorite for everyone is obviously Halloween, arguably the best holiday of the year. Free candy, you get to dress up as anything you want, scary movies, what could be better? In elementary school, in my humble opinion, I was probably the best dressed on Halloween every single year since kindergarten. I’m proud to say I never disappointed, my costumed ranged from a full body Elmo costume to a nerd with taped glasses and suspenders.

As I contemplate all the fond memories of my awkward elementary school endeavors, dressing up for Halloween definitely stands high above the rest. What could be better than sweating in an Elmo costume all day? I’ll tell you what. Sweating in an Elmo costume all night. Walking around my neighborhood trick or treating until I couldn’t physically carry my pillowcase anymore was one of the most glorious ventures of my childhood. I would ring doorbells left and right until my bag was too big for my elementary school arms to hold.

This may seem unpleasant now to an average adult now, it even sounds a little unbearable to me, but I had the time of my life every Halloween, and because of this it will always be my favorite holiday and memories I will hold on to forever.

But why does the fun of this season have to stop? Why is it that right when I entered the “mature and grown up” world of middle school it suddenly became socially unacceptable for me to walk around door to door and get free candy ? Why is that when I asked my friends what they were dressing as for Halloween they said dressing up was lame? And suddenly we’re too cool for trick or treating? Now we have to go to a party? Why?

If I’m being blunt, Halloween is seen by teenage girls as an opportunity to show skin to impress teenage boys. When did a harmless holiday we all cherished in adolescence get so warped and twisted in the matter of a few years?

Don’t get me wrong, I probably will not partake in trick or treating this year, as much as I would love to I am not interested in dressing up and trick or treating alone  (even though that is completely acceptable too). I will probably spend another October 31 at a party with my friends, envious of all the kids running around with their parents making memories they will cherish forever.

This might make me sound a little hypocritical, but all I’m saying is that instead of treating Halloween as another opportunity to party, we should see it as a day to celebrate childhood and all its glory. It should be a day to be a kid again, because I know all of us want that whether we would like to admit or not.

Finally, if you are a high school student and you want to go door to door trick or treating, go right ahead. Ignore all the weird looks you will receive and hold your head high, and I hope you can feel the joy that we all once did as juveniles.

Happy Halloween!