Many people have superstitions about Friday the 13th. Friday the 13th happens every year, but occasionally happens 3 times in some years! This year, there will only be one instance of the famously unlucky day. On Friday, May 13, people will be living their normal lives, but some of the more superstitious people among us will be terrified. But why are some people so scared of this date? And why did it even start? Well, this superstition is believed to have its origins in a multitude of different places.

Most of the superstition probably comes from Christianity. According to National Geographic, the fact that there were 13 people at the last supper and the day of Jesus’s Crucifixion was a Friday, could be a source for the fear. But that’s not the only source that should be considered. Again, according to National Geographic, in Norse mythology, there is a myth about 12 gods having dinner. Loki showed up uninvited and was the 13th guest. Loki tricked Hoder into shooting Balder.

But why do people still believe a superstition based on an old myth? There really isn’t a way for anyone to know.

Certain people are more scared of Friday the 13th than others. The fear of Friday the 13th, which is called paraskevidekatriaphobia, is usually caused by triskaidekaphobia. Triskaidekaphobia is a fear of the number 13. The source of the phobia is unknown, but there are still likely theories.

I created a survey to see what potentially causes the modern fear, and what they are like on Friday the 13th. While this wouldn’t prove anything, I believe that it could help understand what people with triskaidekaphobia are like. Unfortunately, none of the people who responded to the survey were scared of Friday the 13th. I won’t be able to get any information as to the causes. A few people are made uncomfortable by 13, though.

According to the survey results, 2.4% of people at our school find the number 13 uncomfortable. This result is a bit surprising, as according to history.com, approximately 9 to 10 percent of Americans are scared of the number 13. Of course, the fact that the survey was only at our school, and only 41 people responded to the survey definitely affected the result. Nonetheless, it shows that some people get uncomfortable at the thought of 13.

Because some people were made uncomfortable by 13, but nobody said Friday the 13th scared them, paraskevidekatriaphobia seems to be much less common than triskaidekaphobia.

The commonness of triskaidekaphobia has consequences. According to history.com, a majority of hi-rise buildings skip the 13th floor, and many other buildings skip the number 13 for room numbers.