My bloody valentine
Chris TamlynIt's bound to happen.
Friday falls on the 13th and superstitious horror runs amok.
Then, Valentine's Day follows immediately after, allowing the panic-stricken some relief to celebrate love, happiness and all the rest of that lovey-dovey stuff.
Friday the 13th, has long been associated with bad luck and superstitions.
Many consider just the number 13 to harbor misfortune. And there's a plethora of Web sites that fan the fear with supposed explanations for the phenomenon.
According to About.com, Fridays have been considered bad luck dating as far back as the Garden of Eden. If you believe the urban legend, it was on a Friday that Eve committed the original sin and ate the forbidden fruit, which got her and Adam banished from paradise.
Valentine's Day, on the other hand, has multiple possible origins. Many have dubbed it a "Hallmark holiday," but there is more to the 14th of February than just a card and a box of chocolates.
Several legends exist to explain who St. Valentine really was. According to History.com, one theory is that Valentine sent the first 'valentine' from prison to a girl he was in love with, and signed it "from, your Valentine," - a popular signature still used today.
Despite the man's ambiguous origins, it's generally accepted that St. Valentine was a romantic of some sort.
Regardless of the origins of each day, the superstitious may just want to stay inside this weekend. Friday the 13th is tailor-made to augment fears about walking under a ladder or breaking a mirror.
"Whenever I go over railroads, I have to pick up my feet," said Kaitlin Bucchare, a Sterling Heights freshman. "Someone told me when I was younger that it was bad luck and I've just done it ever since."
Since there are so many tracks on campus, Bucchare has to be content hopping over them. When crossing over railroad tracks in a vehicle, Bucchare taps on the break and then idles over the railroad tracks in order to lift up her feet.
"I also never breathe when I pass by a cemetery," she said. "I was told that it's rude to breathe in front of people who can't."
Lake City Freshman Craig Johnson's superstitions are more ritualistic in nature.
"For sports, I'll usually wear the same socks every game and I'll put on an ankle bracelet at a certain time right before the game," he said.
One thing Johnson will be doing is combining Friday the 13th and Valentine's Day into one. Johnson will be singing Valentines songs today in the Midland area with a chorus group.
"Hopefully nothing with go wrong, since it will be Friday the 13th," Johnson said.
Lapeer Junior Julie Bentley plans to take advantage of the superstitious day but does not really have many superstitions of her own.
"I'm going to go see the new Jason movie that's a remake of the original "Friday the 13th" with some friends," she said.
metro@cm-life.com
