As the eerie season of Halloween approaches, so do the heaps of movies involving black cats, the number thirteen, and bad luck. The media has superstitions covered, but do the students of Wilsonville High School?
First things first, what do superstitions mean to these students?
“They are something you believe and follow, even though it might not be true,” says senior Skylar Jersey. She continues on to say, “Before competing, I always have the same routine. So, I have certain shirts that I think are good luck, and I definitely wear those.”
Other students, such as senior Ashlyn Hartford, describe superstitions as “When you feel like you need to do something in order for it to have a specific outcome.” Hartford went into detail, explaining how her superstition stemmed from past experiences. “I’m not a very superstitious person, but the only thing I can think of is ever since I hurt my knee, I feel like I can’t wear the same hairstyle I did in the game that happened,” she explains.
While sports seemed to be a connecting factor between this topic and students, Jordan DeBolt distinguishes the fine line between traditions and superstitions, saying, “Eating the same granola bar before your game is just a preference, not what determines if you win your game or not.” For DeBolt, her superstitious outlet is in music and the clothes she wears. “When I played sports, I’d listen to the same songs before every game and made sure that all the colors I was wearing matched, like my socks and knee pads.”
Luke Larson, a senior, explained his interpretation of superstitions by saying, “They’re little habits or things you do repeatedly because you feel like if you don’t do them, something bad will happen.”
Stepping away from the correlation between superstitions and sports, Larson discussed his test-taking methods. “When I take tests, I never turn my test in first. It gives me time to check over my own answers, and once someone else turns their test in, it’s my cue that I can turn mine in,” Larson states. He followed up by adding, “I always put my left sock on before my right,” but he could not confirm whether or not that is habit or superstition.
All in all, what does the media’s interpretation of superstitions mean for the lives of Wilsonville students? Not much. However, if you stumble upon one of the construction workers’ ladders propped against the new auditorium on Friday the 13th, it’s safe to say don’t walk underneath it!