Ten Scary Everyday Situations In 2016 | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Lifestyle

Ten Scary Everyday Situations In 2016

While the Halloween season kicks off, it's important to remember that no ghost will ever be as scary as an unknown caller

152
Ten Scary Everyday Situations In 2016
This Is Your Conscience

It's October, and that means 'tis the season for spookiness. While your favorite movies are filled with ghosts and gore galore, sometimes reality can be far scarier than any horror movie. Below are ten things that can happen in any month and still make our hearts drop.

10. A Mysterious Letter

Sometimes a letter is welcome. A postcard from a friend on vacation, or a birthday card from a grandparent is generally appreciated. But an unexpected letter from a seemingly random source? That can be a cause for panic these days. Why couldn't they have just called? A letter usually means trouble.

9. Unknown Caller

Much like the random letter, an unknown caller represents mystery. In a world of texting and smart phones we're always connected and always aware. So a random caller can be cause for panic. How did they get your number when you don't have theirs? Scary.

8. "Recalculating"


Need to get somewhere? No worries, just rely on your GPS. But what happens when you can't rely on your GPS? That's when you start to panic. Few things turn a pleasant journey into a nightmare like the mechanized voice of your GPS declaring that it is "recalculating." Did you take a wrong turn? Are the maps out of date? Will it ever finish calculating? Are you lost forever? No one knows for sure.

7. Hitting your Data Limit

Even worse than a GPS that gets you lost is not having GPS access at all. These days most of use mobile data on our cellphones for a wide array of things. Apps like "Pokemon Go", Snapchat, and your GPS can help you to quickly reach your monthly data limit. Then that fateful text sets you up for a week of trying your hardest to not open those snaps and busting out the old paper map.

6. A Knock at the Door

If an unexpected call or letter can be scary, a surprise knock at the door is downright terrifying. In 2016, people don't drop by unexpectedly. If someone's at your door and they didn't text you first, your heart begins to race. Unlike the letter or the call, this horrific experience includes dreaded human interaction. Whether it's a girl scout or a serial killer at your door, you're going to have to interact with another person face-to-face. And in 2016, no one likes that.

5. Grades

One of the truly underappreciated aspects of being out of school is not worrying about grades. From elementary school all the way through college though, we're faced with the constant worry as to how our teachers and professors will assess our work. Even if you know you've done well, there's still that undeniable bit of fear that creeps up when you get the word that grades are out. You know there's no monster under your bed, but that doesn't stop your imagination from running wild in the dark. The same thing applies with report cards and poor marks.

4. Invalid Password

What happens when you can't access your email? This is the terrifying uncertainty that faces us when a little pop-up informs us that the passowrd we entered is invalid. You log into Facebook every day, so what went wrong this time? Did someone hack your account? How will you know what your friends had for lunch today? Is it raining outside? Now you won't see ten consecutive posts confirming that it is. In an age where we rely so heavily on our online accounts, the idea that we might not be able to access them is the stuff of nightmares

3. "We need to talk."

When someone feels the need to preface their speech with an announcement that they need to do it, that means trouble. "We need to talk" is the iconic opener for a break-up for a reason. Those four words strike fear into the hearts of all because they imply that there is something of grave importance and seriousness to discuss without giving any hint as to what it might be about. Next to the dreaded "K", "We need to talk" is just about the most dreaded text to recieve.

2. Blue Lights in the Rear-view

Police are supposed to come when there's trouble. It stands to reason that the sight of an officer of the law is an omen that trouble is nearby. That's why you feel that fear when you see those lights flash. No matter how safely you're driving, your heart drops in that instant. Your mind begins racing. Were you a little over the speed limit? Is a light out? I got that sticker changed, right? They probably aren't after you, but those flashing lights make us all worry that we might have done something wrong, and that we might be in serious trouble.

1. Not Knowing Where your Phone is

Losing your phone is really the culmination of a lot of these things. Your smartphone is probably packed with sensitive information, access to your online accounts, and personal images. We use our phones for so many things today that without it we can feel incomplete. There's no way to let anyone know what's going on without a phone. What are you going to do? Send a letter? Call from a different number? Knock on someone's door unexpectedly? There's a good reason we feel our hearts drop into our stomachs when we reach into our pocket and realize that we don't have our phone on us.


Can you think of anything scarier than these things? Let us know in the comments!

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
student sleep
Huffington Post

I think the hardest thing about going away to college is figuring out how to become an adult. Leaving a household where your parents took care of literally everything (thanks, Mom!) and suddenly becoming your own boss is overwhelming. I feel like I'm doing a pretty good job of being a grown-up, but once in awhile I do something that really makes me feel like I'm #adulting. Twenty-somethings know what I'm talking about.

Keep Reading...Show less
school
blogspot

I went to a small high school, like 120-people-in-my-graduating-class small. It definitely had some good and some bad, and if you also went to a small high school, I’m sure you’ll relate to the things that I went through.

1. If something happens, everyone knows about it

Who hooked up with whom at the party? Yeah, heard about that an hour after it happened. You failed a test? Sorry, saw on Twitter last period. Facebook fight or, God forbid, real fight? It was on half the class’ Snapchat story half an hour ago. No matter what you do, someone will know about it.

Keep Reading...Show less
Chandler Bing

I'm assuming that we've all heard of the hit 90's TV series, Friends, right? Who hasn't? Admittedly, I had pretty low expectations when I first started binge watching the show on Netflix, but I quickly became addicted.

Without a doubt, Chandler Bing is the most relatable character, and there isn't an episode where I don't find myself thinking, Yup, Iam definitely the Chandler of my friend group.

Keep Reading...Show less
eye roll

Working with the public can be a job, in and of itself. Some people are just plain rude for no reason. But regardless of how your day is going, always having to be in the best of moods, or at least act like it... right?

1. When a customer wants to return a product, hands you the receipt, where is printed "ALL SALES ARE FINAL" in all caps.

2. Just because you might be having a bad day, and you're in a crappy mood, doesn't make it okay for you to yell at me or be rude to me. I'm a person with feelings, just like you.

3. People refusing to be put on hold when a customer is standing right in front of you. Oh, how I wish I could just hang up on you!

Keep Reading...Show less
blair waldorf
Hercampus.com

RBF, or resting b*tch face, is a serious condition that many people suffer from worldwide. Suffers are often bombarded with daily questions such as "Are you OK?" and "Why are you so mad?" If you have RBF, you've probably had numerous people tell you to "just smile!"

While this question trend can get annoying, there are a couple of pros to having RBF.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments