How many people believe in good luck charms and superstitions? Well, as stated on gallop.com, one in four Americans are superstitious and believe in good luck charms. According to thefreedictionary.com, a good luck charm is defined as “something believed to bring good luck.” There are the good luck charms that everyone has heard of--a rabbits’ foot, a four leaf clover, or something that has special meaning for any reason. Powerforture.com goes a little deeper into the defintion of a good luck charm by defining it as "an object, which upon possession delivers a positive influence to the fortunes of a person, or set of persons."
Good luck charms have a purpose that is almost mentioned in the name. The purpose is to bring someone, or something, good luck. While many people feel strongly that good luck charms have the ability to bring them luck, others almost look at them as a joke.
A few students at New Haven High School have had some times that they believe good luck charms have helped them. Along with the students who believe in them, there are also students who do not. Senior Beth Schenk says, “Good luck charms are not real, and it irritates me when people get so worked up about them.”
Good luck charms and superstitions sometimes go hand in hand with each other. A superstition is “a belief or way of behaving that is based on fear of the unknown and faith in magic or luck,” as stated on the merriam-webster website.
Some very common superstitions include breaking a mirror may give bad luck for seven years, walking under a ladder, stepping on a crack that would break your mothers’ back, and maybe even black cats.
Students at New Haven have told some stories about their good luck charms, how they work, and some certain superstitions. Here are just a few:
Zoie Mathis mentioned one of her good luck charms that she also considers a superstition as, “It is supposed to bring good luck if you touch a car window when crossing railroad tracks.”
Karissa Durbin mentioned a significant good luck charm, along with several superstitions. She stated her good luck charm as, “A cross that I had in my explorer when I wrecked my car last year. Ever since then, I’ve believed it was good luck because it got me out of that wreck with only a couple cuts and bruises.” Her many superstitions include, “walking under ladders, a ring around the moon, Friday the 13th, and upside down horse shoes.”
Something that Tenille Duessler looks at as a good luck charm are bracelets or rings. She further explains, “I always wear a ring or a bracelet. If I wouldn't have been wearing my ring (it got stuck on my shoe lace), I would have stood up right in time to get puked on. No thanks. Thank you ring.” Tenille also has a strong feeling about Friday the 13th as a superstition. She states, “I really do believe I have really bad days on Friday the 13th.”
Junior Andrew Menke believes that his bracelets on his left wrist give him good luck. He elaborates, “When I play basketball, it just makes me feel lucky.” Andrew also believes in the common superstition of black cats giving off bad vibes. Brooke Bockting agrees that black cats bring bad luck. Brooke expanded, “It is bad luck when black cats cross in front of you. I crashed my truck right after it happened.” Along with Brooke’s bad luck, she had good luck also with having a penny in her left shoe. “I wore it all volleyball season my sophomore year, and we never lost a game. We went undefeated,” she elaborated.
Continuing with volleyball superstitions and good luck is Lauren Bergner’s superstition. Lauren states, “In volleyball, you never go out without listening to the varsity song. It’s a tradition that can’t be broken.”
Based on the previous good luck charm stories, some may still not be sure they actually work. People tend to believe in them if good things happen to them often. Those who believe they have bad fortune probably believe in bad luck also. There is no proof that a good luck charm brings good fortune and superstitions are real, but stories from many tell otherwise.
-by Kathy Jasper
A few students at New Haven High School have had some times that they believe good luck charms have helped them. Along with the students who believe in them, there are also students who do not. Senior Beth Schenk says, “Good luck charms are not real, and it irritates me when people get so worked up about them.”
Good luck charms and superstitions sometimes go hand in hand with each other. A superstition is “a belief or way of behaving that is based on fear of the unknown and faith in magic or luck,” as stated on the merriam-webster website.
Some very common superstitions include breaking a mirror may give bad luck for seven years, walking under a ladder, stepping on a crack that would break your mothers’ back, and maybe even black cats.
Students at New Haven have told some stories about their good luck charms, how they work, and some certain superstitions. Here are just a few:
Zoie Mathis mentioned one of her good luck charms that she also considers a superstition as, “It is supposed to bring good luck if you touch a car window when crossing railroad tracks.”
Karissa Durbin mentioned a significant good luck charm, along with several superstitions. She stated her good luck charm as, “A cross that I had in my explorer when I wrecked my car last year. Ever since then, I’ve believed it was good luck because it got me out of that wreck with only a couple cuts and bruises.” Her many superstitions include, “walking under ladders, a ring around the moon, Friday the 13th, and upside down horse shoes.”
Something that Tenille Duessler looks at as a good luck charm are bracelets or rings. She further explains, “I always wear a ring or a bracelet. If I wouldn't have been wearing my ring (it got stuck on my shoe lace), I would have stood up right in time to get puked on. No thanks. Thank you ring.” Tenille also has a strong feeling about Friday the 13th as a superstition. She states, “I really do believe I have really bad days on Friday the 13th.”
Junior Andrew Menke believes that his bracelets on his left wrist give him good luck. He elaborates, “When I play basketball, it just makes me feel lucky.” Andrew also believes in the common superstition of black cats giving off bad vibes. Brooke Bockting agrees that black cats bring bad luck. Brooke expanded, “It is bad luck when black cats cross in front of you. I crashed my truck right after it happened.” Along with Brooke’s bad luck, she had good luck also with having a penny in her left shoe. “I wore it all volleyball season my sophomore year, and we never lost a game. We went undefeated,” she elaborated.
Continuing with volleyball superstitions and good luck is Lauren Bergner’s superstition. Lauren states, “In volleyball, you never go out without listening to the varsity song. It’s a tradition that can’t be broken.”
Based on the previous good luck charm stories, some may still not be sure they actually work. People tend to believe in them if good things happen to them often. Those who believe they have bad fortune probably believe in bad luck also. There is no proof that a good luck charm brings good fortune and superstitions are real, but stories from many tell otherwise.
-by Kathy Jasper
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