People believe in superstitious ideas for all types of reasons; someone might hope to have a wish of theirs granted or perhaps they fear that something bad might happen to them if they do not do something. Superstitions surround us more than we might think, and SPFHS’s very own students have something to say about them.
 
A common superstition among teens today is making a wish at 11:11. Senior Annie Stuart is a firm believer in this concept.
 

“When I notice it’s 11:11 I always make a wish because it’s supposed to be good luck,” Stuart said. “Who knows whether it works or not, but I think it’s a good way to stay hopeful and positive about things in life.”

 
Other students shared that they make a wish when picking a dandelion or when their eyelash falls out. Senior Kelly Zimmerman mentioned a similar feeling to Stuart.
 

“I don’t believe that I can make specific wishes and have them come true, so I typically just wish for general good fortune,” Zimmerman said.

 
Another superstitious habit that many share is knocking on wood before an important event. Senior Lexa Winigrad does this when anticipating things such as big tests or college decisions.
 

“Before I open a college decision, I knock on wood,” Winigrad said. “For example, before I opened my George Washington University letter I knocked on my desk.”

 
A darker superstition is when someone holds their breath while driving past a cemetery. This superstition involves avoiding the presence of spirits.
 

“When I was younger and went to sleepaway camp, the other girls would hold their breath when we passed a cemetery on bus rides in order to ‘keep out the evil spirits’,” Zimmerman said. “I certainly did not want to inhale any evil spirits, so I started doing it then and to this day I have still continued out of habit.”

 
Evidently, the students of SPFHS incorporate some sort of superstitious idea into their lives. There are many varying levels of belief, but many students find some sort of truth to their ways.
Graphic via NBC News.