Fear is a common instinct that most people are born with. With Halloween being just around the corner, there is no doubt that Central’s students will be on the look out for anything they might be afraid of.

“I am not a big fan of heights because I don’t like the feeling of falling,” freshman Tyler Mullins divulged. “It’s ironic because I love roller coasters!”

Acrophobia, the fear of heights, is common, and can prove to be a hinderance to everyday activities such as using an escalator, climbing ladders, and boarding onto airplanes. The only way to lessen this phobia is to get comfortable with the idea of being far from the ground. By gradually using escalators and airplanes, someone may eventually get over his or her fear.

“I hate [going to the dentist] because the numbing shots they give out don’t help. I had pain shooting all the way from my teeth to my eyes!” explained freshman Irina Gudnyy.

Doctors and dentists are another thing some people are not comfortable with since medical procedures often come with painful side effects. The thought of having another person in control of one’s life and death does not seem to sit well with some students.

“I’m worried about how I’m going to die or fail in life,” states freshman Janai Blakemore.

Thanatophobia, the fear of one’s own death, is also a fear that is shared by many. The truth is that everyone will experience death at one point in their lives, and there is nothing humanly possible to avoid death.  It is not known what exactly happens after death, but that is why we are advised to make the most out of this one life that humans do have.

On the other hand, sometimes traumatic experiences evoke fear in people.

“I’m scared of my garage because there are always a ton of spiders down there, and I got locked in it when I was younger,” recalls freshman Jacob Sylman.

Freshmen Abby Young and Jasmine Ball can also relate to Sylman’s Arachnophobia. The hairy legs of insects and bugs in general make them a bit uneasy.

Nevertheless, some people do not have a bad experience to blame for their apprehension, such as Jaheim Williams’ worry of being forgotten or abandoned. They just do not like certain occurrences. More examples of this include Cady Pruitt’s hatred for trains, Crista Watts’ fear of spatulas and canes, or history instructor Christopher Kribs’ intolerance for snakes of any kind.

Recently, there has been an epidemic of clown incidents sweeping the nation. Facebook pages have dedicated to horrifying those with coulrophobia, the fear of clowns. Adolescents sent out threats to several schools in an attempt to get them closed. Many throughout the school population have a fear of clowns, so when this news broke out, almost everyone was on edge.

In brief, everyone has something that they are afraid of whether it be something students can relate or or something that is completely irrational. Because of this, no one should put themselves down for having a phobia. The best way to stop being scared of something is to face it head on and get out of your comfort zone.