By Evan Brown

Fear. An unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat. Why is a feeling so tainted by negative connotations so common, even anticipated, in our society? With Halloween on the horizon, kids and adults everywhere are poised to rid themselves of their everyday personas in exchange for a holiday grounded in the sensation of fear.

However, some may see Oct. 31 as merely a night full of costumes and lore. Others, as an eerie night which serves as an excuse to play pranks and behave foolishly.

This marks the divide between the Halloween of our youths and the Halloween of our teens.

For instance, kindergartners who dress up as princesses and superheroes parading around their neighborhood yelling TRICK-OR-TREAT! obviously have no malintent. But the spooky teens and 20-somethings egging houses, T.P.-ing lawns, and hiding behind bushes in neighborhoods do.

 For most high schoolers, Halloween means donning barely-there costumes and going to a party with friends.

This means leaving behind the excitement one achieves when hearing the plop of a new piece of candy hit the bottom of their bucket. However, there is still that percentage of teenagers who would love to knock on each and every door, dress up as a generic ghost with a sheet, and trade candy with friends and family.

What age marks this shift in interest? Perhaps it’s the people handing out candy. Cute little kids more readily get loads of candy than someone who looks like they’re headed for college. Or maybe it’s the unrealistic nature of the holiday. As we get older, we become less afraid of goblins and cobwebs and have to occupy our Halloweens otherwise.

Maybe this marked difference can be credited to the fact that most teenagers want to be seen as mature so putting themselves in bone-chilling situations would allow them to prove that. But does that really show fearlessness, or is it just a waste of around $50?

Here’s how I see it: You can party any day of the year, so why not leave the night of Oct. 31 for traditional trick-or-treating? Maybe I’m biased due to my height and can  pass for a 12-year-old…but I think the best bet is to have the best of both worlds and get teeth-rotting candy and celebrate with a party afterwards. BOO.