I’m a late bloomer when it comes to trick or treating.

At three, I wasn’t dressed up in a Winnie the Pooh costume and at eight, I wasn’t a Disney princess. Until the age of 11, Halloween barely existed to me.

My family was in a freaky homeschool phase that was anti-Halloween for most of my early childhood. What I mean by freaky homeschool phase is just that. Our community was crazy conservative and insane. They refused to wear dresses that went above the ankle. After all, that would be much too scandalous. Thankfully I was spared of that.

My parents did however, worry that letting me trick or treat would somehow represent the devil.

But when I was 11, my parents realized the error of their Halloween regulations. They finally let me go trick or treating. So for my first Halloween, my best friend and I decided to be boys. I was thrilled as I pulled on old jeans, a blue button up shirt and a hat to cover my long hair.

I was worried I wouldn’t trick or treat right, or if there was a wrong way to trick or treat. I remember that nervous feeling I got walking up to that first house as my baggy guy jeans sagged. I knocked on the door and waited for my first handful of candy. I got home that night with messy makeup, a big smile and an even bigger bag of candy. I had felt like a rebel that night, like I had been committing some sort of sin by trick or treating.

Then the question came to me. Had I trick or treated too late in life? Many of my friends had outgrown Halloween festivities and I had just been given the opportunity to grow into it.

There’s this attitude that after the age of 13, we’re too cool for Halloween. Well I don’t care. I am going to proudly trick or treat. I don’t care if some people think I’m too old or that it’s evil. I don’t hold anything against my parents for their beliefs. But Halloween is not about the freaking devil and it’s certainly not lame. It’s about a chance express yourself in a different way.

This year, I’m going totally crazy with the makeup. It might be typical, but I’m excited to be the broken doll with a frilly dress, big lashes and shattered cracks that I’ve always wanted to be.

It’s not too late for us to get on some crazy costumes and enjoy an unusual day. We’re at the time of our lives where we aren’t swamped with responsibilities. The majority of high schoolers won’t dress up because we’re too worried about being judged. Well, I’ll be in the minority- because I finally can. After years of missing out on Halloween, I’m ready to live a little and go get some free candy.