How a Scaredy-Cat Joined the Horror Society

How a Scaredy-Cat Joined the Horror Society I’ve always been a nervous person at heart, the kind who jumps at every creak in the next room. So, naturally, you might ask: why on earth would I join the Horror Society?

On the plane over, I could hardly rest. My mind was spinning with questions: Would I make friends? Would anyone even talk to me?
 As it turns out, making friends was so much easier than I imagined. I started going to events designed to help people connect, and before long, I was surrounded by kind faces. My roommates were wonderful, and everyone in my program seemed like part of a star-studded cast of brilliant people.

The real turning point came when I met Sagarika, who gently—but persistently—pushed me out of my comfort zone. She quickly became my closest friend. And, as fate would have it, she loves horror movies.
 Wanting to be closer to her (and maybe prove to myself that I could do something scary), I decided to join the Horror Society, even though I’m the kind of person who jumps at shadows.

When I first walked into the hall hosting the society's fair, my nerves were buzzing. What if I can’t make friends in the clubs I join? What if everyone already knows each other? What if the movies are too scary—a legitimate concern in my case—for me to handle?

After wandering from table to table, I finally reached the Horror Society’s booth. I wasn’t so much nervous as I was embarrassed. I could already imagine myself screaming during a movie night. But all my anxious thoughts disappeared when Grace, one of the committee members, enthusiastically asked if I wanted to help decorate the “Hear Me Out” cake. That tiny moment of silliness made everything feel lighter. I signed up, chatted with the person behind the desk, and left with a smile and the date of their next event: Thursday.

When Thursday finally arrived, I sat in my room staring at the clock, waiting for 5:30 to strike. I was nervous again—of course—but I made myself go. They played the Irish thriller Fréwaka that night, and while it was genuinely scary, I couldn’t stop laughing. The committee members were so funny, the atmosphere so relaxed, that even the jump scares became a shared joke.

The snack table, for instance, was pure comedy. College students swarming a bag of chips like it was treasure, it’s impossible not to laugh. The room before the movie began was filled with robust chatting and laughter. I’d expected to spend the night clutching my seat in fear, but instead, I found myself giggling and having fun. 

Even when the movie got intense, something always broke the tension: The main culprit was the flickering pop-up window on the computer screen, a collective groan, followed by laughter. It quickly became a ritual, one that couldn’t be disturbed. And when I fell ill and missed two weeks in a row, I got messages from people checking in to make sure I was okay. That meant the world to me. 

I joined the Horror Society expecting to be terrified. Instead, I found warmth, laughter, and a community that made even the scariest moments feel safe. Maybe I’m still a scaredy-cat, but now, at least, I’m not jumping alone.

Words and images thanks to Skyler, MA (Literature and Publishing).