6
Focus October 20, 2017
How Halloween came to be By: Janey Locander LO’T Reporter
The leaves are changing color and the temperature is finally beginning to drop. This could only mean one thing: spooky season is upon us. Halloween is fast approaching. Regardless of if you celebrate or not, you’ve probably previously seen the groups of trick-ortreaters in various costumes carrying buckets or even pillowcases full of candy. But have you ever wondered where this holiday or its various traditions came from? Well, here is the history of Halloween and its various traditions according to History.com. To start, Halloween didn’t even start here in
America. It’s believed that in Europe, the Ancient Celts held a celebration called the Festival of Samhain. At this festival, people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off evil spirits. Later on, in the 8th century, Pope Gregory lll created All Saints’ Day. This day that took place on November 1st was a way to honor the ghosts of deceased family and friends and also kept some of the old traditions of Samhain. While this celebration can still be found in certain churches, All Saints’ Day warped into something else over the years. The evening before All Saints’ Day became known as All Hallows’ Eve because of the tradition in Celtic
religion. The evening festivities became what we call Halloween today. Some traditions we have, such as pumpkin carving, have interesting origins just like Halloween itself. When this tradition started, people were carving radishes and turnips, not pumpkins! It is believed this originated from the Irish as there is an old myth about a man doomed to the underworld with only a lighted turnip to guide his path. This tradition led Irish people to leave carved turnips and radishes on their porches to ward off evil spirits. The tradition later changed to pumpkins as they were easier to carve. Trick-or-treating is also linked to the Irish. Dressing up and going door-
to-door to collect candy first was found in Ireland. When many Irish immigrants came to the United States, they passed along stories of the tradition and the celebration itself. Taking from Irish and English traditions, the United States began “trickor-treating” and dressing up in costumes. In the United States, Halloween parties became the most popoular way to celebrate. This community centered holiday only grew, now having traditions of haunted houses and costume parties. So as October 31st comes and you’re either eating candy at home or being spooked at a haunted house, I hope you have a fun filled October and a spooktactular Halloween!
The first 4 students to tweet to Line O’Type @mhs_ lineotype Whitey’s ceritificate.
Focus
FEAR
Students share scary experiences
Junior Lily Knobloch recounts when her boyfriend left her at a haunted house to be cornered by a clown in a straight jacket. Photo courtesy of Lily Glackin.
October 20, 2017
Dissecting your distress; why are we afraid? By: Omar Babu LO’T Reporter “Why am I afraid?” We’ve all asked ourselves this question at least once, and it’s time we finally knew the answer. Fear, the response to uncomfortable or dangerous situations, is purely natural. Millennia ago, humans relied on this instinct to survive. Those who feared heights would not fall off cliffs, those who feared snakes would not get bit, those who feared bears would not get mauled… the list continues. Fear protected our ancestors and protects us as well. Fear keeps
(most of) us from being extremely reckless and fear of failure protects us from shame to list a few examples. But is fear learned or is it pre-existing? There is evidence that points both ways. In one study, researchers placed an infant on a table and then put plexiglass over the edges of the table. If he wanted to, the child could walk on the plexiglass with no risk of falling. However, he didn’t. The researchers replicated the experiment with kittens, and saw the same result. What was surprising was when baby ducks were placed on the table. They confidently
walked across the plexiglass. Though this may seem random, the ducks were the only animals that could fly — they have no reason to naturally fear heights. Though this study points towards fear being innate, other factors clearly show fear can be learned. Take ourselves, for instance. If we encounter a new situation and it ends badly, fear makes us try our best to steer clear of that situation in the future. Therefore, while we may not have feared a scenario in the past, the very thought of being in the place may scare us now. Regardless of how fear is
acquired, the organ responsible for fear is the brain. When we see danger (a huge spider, for instance) our brain associates the danger with pain, then quickly activates a bundle of nerves called the amygdala. When the amygdala is activated, it triggers another part of the brain, the hypothalamus, to release adrenaline. In turn, our heart rate quickens, our senses sharpen, and our strength increases. In the end, fear is something we can’t truly control. We naturally fear danger, but the definition of danger is different for every person.
imagine that you are talking one-on-one to a friend. And hey, if all else fails, just picture your audience in their underwear.
es, so it is no surprise that heights ranks so high on the list of common fears in America. Quite literally remember that fear of heights
is fear the fear of bugs, snakes, animals, and other such creatures. These fears most likely stem from an evolutionary perspective, as these living things were pretty threatening for them; we, however, have less to feel threatened about. Drowning. 71% of the Earth’s surface is composed of water. A human adult body is roughly 60% water. Yet, water becomes a terror in the number four spot, drowning. Such aquaphobia can cause extreme anxiety accompanying pools, oceans, etc. Try the buddy system while swimming for a feeling of safety to put that fear to rest. Blood/needles. Blood and needles are next on the list of the most frightening stimuli in the United States. They can cause fainting, nausea, and hyperventilation. To make your next trip to the doctor less fear-provoking, try deep breathing exercises to keep a calm composure.
Identifying and conquering common fears By: Hannah Hutton LO’T Reporter
Senior Alyssa McAnally attempted to “Kobe” her juice cup into the trash during lunch earning her a trip to the dean and a lunch detention. Photo courtesy of Lily Glackin.
Sophomore Rayanna Hurt explains that trying news things at MHS can be scary as well. She worked with deck crew for the first time in the play “Iphigenia.” Photo courtesy of Lily Glackin.
As we near the season of Halloween, we are surrounded by all things scary: movie trailers, advertisements and your neighbor’s creepy yard decorations. These all put us in a festive mood and prepare us to be scared. However, some scary things linger in our day-to-day lives outside of the month of October. Here’s a list of the top five most common fears in America according to “The Washington Post.” Public speaking. As many can attest to, public speaking is one of the most anxiety-provoking stimuli. Standing in front of peers or a loud crowd can turn even the most level-headed person into a shaky, sweaty mess. Picture Josh Nichols sweating during his newscast in Drake and Josh. To avoid such an embarrassing circumstance, relax, take a deep breath, and
Josh Peck shows classic symptoms of fear while speaking in front of an audience. Photo Courtesy of giphy.com Heights. Did you know that humans are actually only born with two fears? It’s true; humans are biologically programmed to fear falling and loud nois-
is natural, and try conquering it by pushing your limits--just don’t look down. Bugs, snakes, animals, etc. Ranked number three on top fears in America
7
Clowns in politics
The last presidential debate was a circus. Photoshop courtesy of Savannah Hampton. By: Emme Schwabe LO’T Focus Editor Coulrophobics, it’s that time of year again: clowns hiding around every corner. It’s no surprise that the fear of clowns has continued to rise steadily over the past couple of decades. However, one particularly horrifying individual has seemed to terrorize 2017. He continues to incite fear -- with only 140 characters -- in many individuals, causing mass hysteria, especially in younger generations. Oh, and we can’t forget about Pennywise from Stephen King’s “IT!” But unfortunately, today’s biggest fears can’t disappear as fictional characters do. One particularly frightening figure seems to be haunting society: the one and only POTUS. Unfortunately, this year has witnessed rioting, racial tensions, and foreign threat under the president, causing a rise in fear among those worried for the next couple years of his term. Not only has Trump been a major source of worry among people, but overall election stress has had a significant impact on many Americans. For many people, the recent election, on both sides of the political spectrum, felt out-of-control. On the other side of the aisle, many POTUS supporters voted in fear of another clown running the show. This clown’s tricks could have includ-
ed email scandals, wild feminists, and gun laws. An APA report showed that, “close to 40% of American adults found political discussions via social media caused stress”. This year’s election seemed to embody that statement most. A Crimson Hexagon Analysis revealed that “social posts classified as “fear” were more than 3x as common for Trump and 2x as common for Clinton than for either of the candidates in 2012.” However, the analysis also revealed about Trump from large news outlets that, “fear is, by a wide margin, the most commonly expressed emotion.” So how do you know you’ve been a victim of coulrophobics, or election anxiety considering they’re nearly the same thing? Some symptoms include: sweating, nausea, feelings of dread, accelerated heartbeat and rapid breathing, crying or screaming, to even feeling angry at being placed in a situation where clowns are present. If you experience any of these while watching the news, you might qualify for the equally tormenting election/post election anxiety. But no need to fear, while Pennywise may return in the next 27 years to prey on personal fears, a presidential term only lasts four years.
Note: This is satire.