Friday the 13th
Mackenzie Schuessler
Friday the 13th. To millions of people around the world, this day is cursed. It’s unclear when in history the day Friday and 13 became linked in the way we think of them today. Some say it got its roots in Christianity. Jesus Christ was crucified on a Friday and since then the day has been associated with a general ill. According to Stuart Vyse, a psychology professor at Connecticut College, thirteen disciples attended the Last Supper before Jesus was crucified and the thirteenth guest was Judas Iscariot, the disciple who betrayed Jesus.
Let’s see what superstitions about Friday the 13th say:
It is not good to be born on Friday the 13th because it means bad luck for life.
It is not good on that day, to change your bed because you will have bad dreams.
Also one superstition says, the one who pass a funeral procession on this day will die tomorrow.
On Friday the 13th, do not cut your hair, because a family member will die.
Also, do not cut your nails on that day, it will be followed by bad luck.
Do not start a new job or business on Friday the 13th, it will be followed by collapse or bankrupt.
Do not start traveling on this day, only problems can occur.
Ships should not be allowed to set sailing because it can sink into the sea.
Also, tarot card number 13 means death
As you can see, some of these superstitions are a little far-fetched. Here’s what a couple MHS students have to say about the day. Senior, Ali Linck, says she doesn't really believe in the whole unlucky Friday the 13th but she kind of understands why other people might be nervous. “I don’t shower on Friday the 13th because I’m afraid I’ll fall in the shower and die” says Tylor O’Leary.
A 2011 German study published in the World Journal of Surgery explored whether there is a link between Friday the 13th and an increase of blood loss and the frequency of emergency room visits on those days. Contrary to popular belief, the number of people in accidents and in the hospital isn’t significantly greater on Friday the 13th compared to other days. "Our data indicate that such beliefs are myths far beyond reality," the study concludes. Regardless, according to the Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute in Asheville, North Carolina, an estimated 17 to 21 million people in the United States are affected by a fear of this day, making it the most feared day and date in history.
A few more Friday the 13th Fun Facts!
More than 80 percent of high-rises lack a 13th floor
Most airplanes don’t have a 13th aisle
Hotels and hospitals regularly don’t have a room numbered 13
On streets in Florence, Italy, the house between number 12 and 14 is addressed as 12 and a half
If you have 13 letters in your name, you will have the devil's luck . Jack the Ripper, Charles Manson, Jeffrey Dahmer, Theodore Bundy and Albert De Salvo all have 13 letters in their names
The Apollo 13 spacecraft exploded on the way to the moon
So this Friday the 13th be on the lookout for these superstitions...
