Trick-or-treating used to be simple. In elementary school, our parents would help us with our costumes and take us trick-or-treating around our neighborhoods; everything made sense. However, as we get older, we develop conflicting emotions for trick-or-treating.

We think we’re too old or too cool for it. Then we being to wonder, “€œEven if I went, where would I go?”€ These questions and similar ones fill the minds of Ames High School students around this time of year. Most of us want to trick-or-treat but don’€™t know where, as what, or maybe we just don’€™t want anyone else to know our secret desire to return to our childhoods for just one night. Or maybe we just want to see other children trick-or-treat.

“€œI want to hand the candy out at my house and see all the cute little kids with their costumes,”€ sophomore Elizabeth Nutty said.

But the number one question still lingers: Where could I go trick-or-treating?

“€œI remember going to Northridge and some people would give out really big candy bars,”€ Nutty said.

Close by, another development seems to serve as a good candy-gathering place.

“€œNorthridge Heights is a pretty good spot,” senior Katelyn Thilges said. “€œThere are so many little kids there.”€

While the primary goal of trick-or-treating is to collect as much candy as possible in one night, there are many other goals one could have.

“€œI went trick-or-treating for UNICEF last year,”€ senior Bridget Burke-Smith said. “It was just as fun and it’€™s much easier to go to the small residential neighborhoods like mine. Not as many kids come through as Northridge, so houses are more generous with their candy and their money.”€

While you could probably satisfy your sweet tooth or raise a good amount of money in largely known developments like Northridge or Northridge Heights, there are other places such that would serve you just as well. Try spending a bulk of your time in the smaller neighborhoods, and you”€™ll be sure to have a scary good night.