My fall break was filled with some much needed rest and relaxation. I spent almost every day with my hometown friends, returned to all of my favorite restaurants, and finished two new TV shows. All things you would expect from a typical fall break, right? Wrong. My one atypical fall break activity took place last minute on the Saturday before I returned to campus. My little brother had a birthday coming up shortly after break and decided to choose violence and drag me along to a haunted house with him.Â
When it comes to haunted houses, I don’t have the best history. I had only been to haunted houses two other times in my life, both at my elementary school’s haunted house during its fall carnival. The first time was in first grade, where my Dad carried me out in tears. Not bad, you are probably thinking. Well, it gets worse. The second time was in fifth grade, when I was working at the haunted house (a special and coveted fifth grade privilege). Just like last time, I left crying, as an employee mind you. I had overestimated my fear tolerance and the haunting environment was just too much for my fifth grade self to handle. I was the person who was supposed to do the scaring, yet somehow I ended up the scaredy cat again.Â
Now, years later, I stood in line for the haunted house, determined to break my unfortunate pattern. Third time’s a charm? The haunted house, in the middle of nowhere in Connecticut, obviously, was marketed as a haunted hayride followed by a haunted trail walk. How bad could it be? Bad. This was a legit haunted house, a polar opposite from the elementary school carnival haunted house that traumatized me in the past. There were hundreds of live actors that got up in your face and followed you around. The costumes were too realistic and the actors were not shy at all. As someone who was deeply traumatized by the “It” trailer as a kid, it’s safe to say I was not a fan of the killer clowns that waved their chainsaws in my face. I did not love the dollhouse either, particularly the actor dressed up as Annabelle, who thought it would be fun to chase me.Â
Despite all of this, I had a good time, words I never thought I’d say, let alone write. I especially enjoyed seeing my overconfident younger brother, who bragged that he was not scared, proceed to get jumpscared multiple times. It was fun to get scared, especially together with my family. Even if it’s not up your alley, try a haunted house with your friends or family! It definitely was not up my alley at first, but I survived and ended up having a great time. The worst that could happen is that the trauma bonds you closer together!