Whether of the vast sea, death, or even spiders, fears shape how individuals navigate life. Through a series of interviews, Five MHS students and teachers open up about their deepest fears and experiences that shaped them.
“The ocean is very mysterious… we’ve only covered like less than 5% of it, you never know when something can come out and get you,” said Roderick Frye, expressing a fear that resonates with the primal human anxiety about the unknown. Frye, find fear in the physical world. The ocean’s vast, uncharted depths keep him on edge.“Being stranded in the middle of the ocean… it’s just very deep, so we don’t know what’s down there,” he said. The mystery of the ocean, heightened by conspiracy theories on social media, fuels this fear. Yet, he expressed optimism about confronting it, stating, “If I go on like one or two cruises I think I would be fine.”
Adam Jones-Williams deals with arachnophobia.
“It’s just the way their legs are on them and that big circular thing on the back,” he said, shuddering at the thought of spiders.
His fear isn’t backed by a traumatic event but rather instinct. While he understands that therapy could help him get over his fear he said, “I don’t think I’ll ever go through that.”
For Mrs. Tiffany Dillner, the fear of entrapment became real when she locked herself in a bathroom while remodeling.
“It took me about 20 minutes to figure out how to work the latch without the doorknob,” she said. The 20-minute experience left a lasting impression. She is open to immersion therapy to conquer her fear.
Fears, whether in faith, the unknown, or personal loss, are deeply personal yet universally relatable. While some strive to overcome their fears, others focus on coping strategies, highlighting resilience and the human capacity to adapt and overcome.
For Joel Joseph, fear stems from spirituality.
“My biggest fear is definitely going to H-E-double hockey stick,” he said, explaining how self-comparison and the pressure to live a perfect life have influenced his perspective. “I know I can’t live a perfect life… your focus shouldn’t be necessarily not going to hell, but instead building a relationship with Christ,” he said, offering a hopeful outlook. similar to Joel Mrs. Ashley Witkowski’s fear revolves around mortality.
“Definitely like death or dying in some type of bad way,” she said, attributing this fear to the loss of her grandmother. She has learned to manage it by cherishing loved ones and refusing to let it hinder her life. “I’m still going to drive and travel. I won’t let it stop me,” she said.
