Friday the 13th, Disturbs, Unfazes

Anna Peelen l Entertainment Editor

A day where some tread carefully while others walk carelessly not buying into superstition- which are you on Friday the 13th?

January 13th marks the first Friday the 13th in the new year. Some students are exhilarated by this so called haunted and unlucky Friday while others remain carelessly unbothered.

The superstition surrounding Friday the 13th stems from many historical and biblical events which deemed numbers such as 13 unlucky and days like Friday cursed. With this history, Friday the 13th became popularized by the media by an association with fearful of unfortunate events.

Sophomore Leah Jaeger does not consider herself superstitious, but her family certainly is. They eat certain meals on New Year's Day for good luck and always throw salt over their shoulders if they accidentally spill it on the table.

“I don’t believe in superstitions because when people do they convince themselves they have bad luck and start to expect it,” said Jaeger.

Superstitions can, however, change, and for many their beliefs did on Friday, March 13, 2020. Students were informed that there would be a two-week break due to Covid-19 on this day.

“I personally never believed in Friday the 13th being unlucky until March 2020 when everything shut down,” said Jaeger. “It was definitely the most unlucky Friday the 13th I’ve experienced.”

Others, such as junior Brody Eisenhower, do not believe that Friday the 13th brings any unfortune even after the Covid-19 lockdown.

“I’m into a lot of magical things, but I didn’t even know it (the Covid-19 lockdown) started on Friday the 13th,” said Eisenhower, “I would say (it was) a coincidence.”

Many agree that although unlucky things happen on Friday the 13th, it is not caused by the bad omens of the day. Rather, they believe in coincidences.

Sophomore Alie Forker was born on a Friday the 13th. Some speculate that being born on the 13th is ill-fated.

“I don’t think Friday the 13th is unlucky,” said Forker, “If anything, I would probably consider it lucky since I was born on one.”

Even then, Forker considers herself to be superstitious, just not on Friday the 13th. Based on her past experience, she believes nothing bad happens on Friday the 13th.

“I believe there is some meanings behind why people fear a Friday the 13th and why it’s a big deal in many cultures,” said Eisenhower, “I don’t think of it as unlucky per say, rather than a superstition of its own.”