Scaredy-Cat Struggles by Sonali Khatri

As we move past Halloween and into the holiday season I’ve started to reminisce. The memories I’m starting to recall are related to me being scared. I used to be scared of everything. A class A scaredy-cat. Here are a few instances that stand out to me:

  1. Evil Furby: I remember when I was eight years old I got a bright blue Furby for Christmas. We were practically inseparable until my brother told me he watched a video that said Furbies had the ability to record your voice and spy on you… Without even giving it a second thought I threw my Furby into a drawer (the farthest empty vessel from my room). Even though I disposed of the Furby, the fact that I knew it was still under my roof sent chills down my spine. 
  2. Horror Movies: My fear of horror movies growing up was so bad that even seeing the movie poster of Annabelle would keep me up for hours. The dark mass next to my closet? Annabelle. The random floor creaks? Annabelle. Who would grab me if my arm was dangling off my bed? Annabelle. You get the point. I didn’t even have to see the movie to be scared straight.
  3. The Dark: I’m sure this was a universal experience. There was just something about the dark that would give me cold sweats. I have some core memories of turning off the lights and sprinting up the stairs to my room in the middle of the night. Yeah, my heart would be pounding out of my chest, and I could barely catch my breath, but at least I outran whatever monster was magically conjured up when I flicked the light switch.
  4. Urban Myths and Ghost Stories: I was scared but also unreasonably gullible. Whatever urban myth you can think of, I definitely believed in it. Ouija boards, Bloody Mary, the random chain mail messages that would threaten you with a haunting if you didn’t send it to ten other people before midnight…  The list goes on.

However, I’m proud to say that my fear tolerance has since improved. Horror has become one of my favorite genres, I walk up the stairs in the middle of the night, and Halloween is my favorite holiday. I think if my six-year-old self saw me now she would be relieved. Life without irrational fears is so much better.

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