Opinion
Page 2
The Hutchinson Collegian Friday, October 20, 2017
Trick-or-treating Blues Think they’re too old to trick-or-treat? Our view A popular issue that has never been resolved is the controversy surrounding the proper trick-or-treating age. It is common that adults turn away most teenagers and adults when they come to their door on Halloween night asking for candy. How old is too old though? If teenagers are asking for candy rather than drinking, smoking, or doing other criminal activities, then shouldn’t adults encourage them to go trick-or-treating? There are also some exceptions for teenagers and adults going door-todoor asking for candy. What if the teenager or adult is mentally handicapped and wants to enjoy the holiday? What if a foreign exchange student has a once in a lifetime opportunity to partake in the thrilling American tradition?
If your issue is about running out of candy, then the teenager would most likely understand that the children could receive the candy instead. It is the owner’s right to give to whoever they want, so the trick-or-treater should also respect the wishes of the candy giver. There are always more houses to go to. An understandable reason for not dishing out the treats would be if there are teenagers or adults approaching your door with nothing but a plastic bag and a snarky attitude. The candy should be a reward for a neat costume. Halloween is supposed to be fun and exciting and judgment has no place in this spooky, fall holiday. It should be about the experiences, not the personal issues. You could make an older kid’s day by giving them a smile and piece of candy in their bag. It’s not a matter of life or death and you’ll making great Halloween memories for someone.
Kourtney Sweet/Collegian Cartoonist
The unfortunate events of Brenna When I was 3-years old, I had an imaginary friend. Or so I thought. His name was Jacob. According to my sisters and parents, I talked to him, laughed with him, and made my mom pour drinks for him. I did this so often my sisters asked me where he was so they didn’t have to sit near him. If he wasn’t there, I would simply just tell them he wasn’t with me at the time. I was 3, so of course I’m basing this off of what my sisters and parents have told me. Apparently it scared them the most because I was so serious about it. I would yell at my mom if she didn’t make something for Jacob and tell her to get him some juice. On road trips my sisters would ask if Jacob came with us, every time
My paranormal experience
I would say, “He stayed at the barn house.” When we moved from that country house, I was especially sad because I had to leave my best friend behind. Now, imagine hearing this story for the first time as an 8-year old at your grandparents’ house right before going to sleep. All of my cousins and I would gather in the living room and tell scary stories, and my cousins were fortunate enough to be able to sleep after telling stories. I, however, was not so lucky. I would either have to sleep in my parents’ room or I would stay up all night terrified of everything. So, when my sister Leisha informed me that I used to have a ghost-friend named Jacob, I was already doomed to have a sleepless night and still scared myself years after that picturing
what he might have looked like.
Columnist
Brenna Eller I asked my mom about the house we used to live in and she told me about all of the crazy unexplainable things that happened there. My dad claimed to see an older woman walking around the house all the time, he thought it was my sisters, but checked and
everyone was in bed. There was an older man that I claimed to see along with Jacob. One day, my mom was in the basement folding laundry and my little sister and I were with her. All of a sudden I erupted with laughter. She asked me what was wrong, and I said, “He’s teasing me Mommy.” She stopped what she was doing and looked around for someone, no one else was there and she said, “Who’s teasing you?” I pointed right above me and said, “That man right there.” She dropped everything and took my sister and I both upstairs. When my mom went to ask about the history of that house, she went to our neighbor who used to live in the house growing up. He told her about the deaths that happened there.
One boy was out in a pasture when a stampede trampled him to death, we figure that one to be Jacob, but aren’t exactly sure. The older man was our neighbor’s dad. He told my mom that his dad loved kids and loved to “tease” them. When she heard, “tease” she knew that was the man that I saw. What three-year old says, “tease”? The lady was his step-mother. She was apparently abusive and would wear strong perfume, which my mom could smell in the bathroom. She said it would give her a headache because of how strong the odor was. I remember believing Jacob was my guardian angel protecting me from all of the bad things in the house. I also recall telling my siblings that Jacob didn’t come with me any-
where and when we moved, I told them that he wanted to stay at his home, which was the barn house. Now I like to tell the story for fun and freak people out. It’s also fun to scare my sisters. Sometimes if a door makes a creaking sound or if the wind blows something really hard, I say, “Oh don’t worry, it was just Jacob.” They always get mad and yell at me that, “It’s not funny!” I enjoy “teasing” them whenever I can. On the bright side, if there really is one from this story, I don’t see ghosts anymore. I used to try to look for ghosts and wanted to be a ghost hunter, but since I haven’t seen anything supernatural after that experience. I think I can handle not being the next Melinda Gordan, A.K.A, “Ghost Whisperer”.
Why Halloween is my favorite holiday
It’s that time of year again - a time where witches, vampires, werewolves and zombies roam the streets. A time to get lost in a corn maze, make jack-o’lanterns and watch “Hocus Pocus”. It’s a time to be free. Which is why I am here to say that Halloween is the best holiday. I’m sure there are many Christmas and Thanksgiving enthusiasts out there who would be appalled to hear that line. But hear me out. I have several reasons Halloween is the best. First of all, as I said,
it’s a time to be free. People can dress as their favorite heroes or monsters and be as daring as they want. There is no pressure to look or act a certain way. Wear as crazy of a costume as you want. For me, that freedom also means getting to be someone else. When I was younger, I remember dressing up as Superman and feeling like I could conquer the world. It’s a day when people don’t have to be themselves, and be someone that makes them feel invincible. Second, Halloween has no obligations. During Thanksgiving and Christ-
The Hutchinson
Collegian
The Hutchinson Collegian is the official student newspaper of Hutchinson Community College. It is created by the Newspaper Production class each week during the academic year, except for when school is not in session, or during final exams.
Columnist
Jack Greenwood mas, it is required of most people to travel and visit relatives. If you’re like me, that means being trapped with relatives that don’t be-
lieve you’re living the life you need just because you listen to Lady Gaga instead of Frank Sinatra, or (heaven forbid) politics get brought up, and your elderly family wants to know who you voted for and why. But Halloween isn’t like that. Halloween is a celebration based on the old pagan holiday, All Hallows Eve, when the dead can revisit the living world. But let’s face it, Halloween is a lot of fun. All the fun haunted houses, monster makeup, and “thriller” flash mobs make this holiday one of the most diverse in terms
Staff
Editor: Merissa Anderson Campus editor: Emma Cox Opinion page editor: Brenna Eller Sports editor: Lucas Barlow Online editor: Amanda Carney Adviser: Brad Hallier Staff members: Amaelle Caron, Cassidy Crites, Jack Greenwood, Allie Schweizer, Kourtney Sweet.
of traditions and one of the most enjoyable. It’s hard not to find something you love in terms of the fall and Halloween atmosphere. Finally, the spooky atmosphere is addicting. Who doesn’t get goose bumps when seeing velvet spider decorations or hear the howl of a wolf-man? Who doesn’t get excited at the thought of walking through a tall corn maze, or an elaborate haunted house? All these and so many more give me a real adrenaline high and excitement that makes the 364-day wait well worth it.
The idea that ghosts will be wandering our streets or witches flying through our skies gives me the best kind of shivers. In conclusion, Halloween is about so much more than the pumpkin spice latte or the buckets full of candy (although I love both of those things). Halloween gives freedom for all and a spooky sensation that just can’t be matched. So you can keep your Christmas trees and Thanksgiving turkeys. I’ll be more than happy with everything that makes Halloween my favorite holiday.
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