With Halloween upcoming there's sure to be many new horror films showing in the cinemas; Ouija, Annabelle, Horns. But with almost all horror films you must have some evidence of identification to prove your age-appropriate, but when you're in your mid teens it's not that easy.

This summer, I ventured to the local cinema with friends to see a film certificate age 15. It was a film we'd been waiting to see and were very disappointed when we discovered that we couldn't.  We were all 16 at the time but unfortunately because we had no suitable ID with us we weren't able to watch the much desired movie - so how were we to prove our age? On us, we carried our 11-15 oyster cards which of course cannot accurately determine your age between the figures. However, the unanswered question was - why were we carrying 11-15 oysters when we were 16? Although, at this age I am expected to become more independent, I and in agreement with my parents didn't feel responsible enough to carry around my passport.  TFL states that "If your child's between 11 and 16, they can get an 11-15 Zip Oyster photocard," - surely, the photocard should be for ages 11-16 then. I only recently received my new 16+ oyster card ready for when I entered sixth form, but this November (2 months after I got my 16+) I'll turn 17 so does this really make sense? Should we have to wait until the year we turn 17 to view films certificate 15.

"Before I had my 16+ oyster I'd have to use my birth certificate to prove I was over the required age, it was kinda awkward, I felt like people were treating me like a child and that they might think that I was lying about my age." From my own experience I can tell you that it was really frustrating and also embarrassing to not get in to see that particular film.

Teenagers under the age of 16 don't have any form of ID that isn't official documentation like passports and birth certificates which is really annoying because it's not just a film that you are unable to watch: you may not be able to purchase certain things like travel tickets or DVDs, you may need ID to apply for a job or even confirm financial transactions.

The argument here is should teenagers carry around their passports as ID or should we be issued cards displaying our name and date of birth. We teenagers will never know when we need some form of ID and perhaps if we were issued these cards we will be able to see the films we were so desperate to see.

Isabel Murphy, St Philomena's Catholic High School for Girls