andreahuber

“Why would you pay to be scared?” This is a question I get asked every fall. In fact, I remember the first time I was asked this question. It was October of my eighth grade year, and I had been dying for my mom to let me go to a haunted house like my older siblings had been doing for years. After weeks of begging, she finally said yes. I was absolutely exhilarated.

The next day at school, I excitedly rushed up to my best friend, invited her to go to Scary Acres, and anxiously awaited her answer. She looked appalled.

“Why would you pay to be scared? I don’t get it,” she said. I was completely disheartened.

“Why would I pay to be scared? I don’t know, maybe the same reason you paid for a ticket to Worlds of Fun last summer.” Our friendship soon ended.

I’ve come to ponder this question quite a bit. At first, I really didn’t have an answer to why I would pay to be scared. Why do I like being chased by bloody clowns through an old creepy house? Why do I enjoy sitting through two hours of intense psychological terror shown on a 30 by 70 foot screen? I have one answer, my friend. It’s called thrill.

Everyone loves a good thrill, whether it’s a roller coaster ride or a fantastic rom-com. Mine just happens to be the suspense of not knowing what’s going to pop out in front of me. The build up of anxiety and fear gives some sort of indescribable adrenaline rush, the same reason avid rock climbers and sky divers keep going back for more.

We’re all just adventure-seeking adrenaline junkies, only I prefer to find that adrenaline where there is no real danger.

I know I’m not the only person who feels this way about scary movies and haunted houses. With more than 1,200 paid haunted house attractions in the U.S. and an incredibly in-demand horror film genre, there is an obvious interest in this sort of unnerving thrill.

I honestly believe you just have to give it a chance. I, too, have had traumatic childhood experiences of watching “Childsplay” and “The Shining” with my older siblings when I was far too young. I promise you, though, haunted houses aren’t nearly as traumatizing when you’re a high-school girl with several other friends sharing the experience. In fact, I’ve had funny experiences in haunted houses.

Let’s be honest, the blood and the nasty-looking lacerations can be so blatantly unreal to the point of humor. And the different gruesome characters wandering around can actually turn out to be quite friendly once you get to know them.

Don’t even get me started on scary movies. Eighty percent of the scary movies I’ve seen are flat out humorous with barely any plot.

So, I understand if you’ll be in the corn maze or on an innocent hayrack ride this fall. But while you’re taking it easy and relaxing in the comfort of a nostalgic Vala’s campfire, I’ll be at Mystery Manor or catching up on the latest episode of “American Horror Story”. After all, paying for fear is worth every penny.