I can’t see anything in the dark without my flashlight, which has been dead for ten minutes now. All I can hear is the breathing of something near me, and the screams of my friends who are long gone. Suddenly, the melody of a music box sounds behind me, signaling the end of my journey. A low, rumbling laugh foreshadows the brutal demise that faces me, when I see a towering figure from behind-

       “Bro! Bro! Bro!” my friends scream from the phone. We can’t get past one night of our newest favorite game to play together because of the overwhelming terror that the shocking jumpscares induce. Nonetheless, we smile at each other, laugh, and continue.

       Fear is something that gets our hands clammy, and our teeth jittery. Personally, I’m not a fan, especially with the accompanying feeling of not knowing what’s to come; however, when it comes to bonding activities with friends, I can’t deny that horror is the best way to spend time together. 

       The average person would opt out of going to the theater to watch the newest horror movie, but with company, it becomes a thrilling outing. The nerve-racking adrenaline rush that comes with a loud scare becomes electrifying with someone else to grab onto. According to Harvard Business Review, the hormone that is released when experiencing horror, oxytocin, facilitates shared feelings of closeness among a group of people. On a more romantic note, the consumption of horror between two partners can help associate exciting feelings between them about each other, strengthening their relationship or even creating one (as well as making opportunities for some physical contact). 

       Additionally, the National Library of Medicine mentions reports of improved feelings after experiencing fearfulness from an experiment on the effects of absorbing frightening content. 

       “Every time I watch something scary with my friends, I always feel weirdly really peaceful afterwards, more than just by myself. It’s like we’re doing group therapy,” Angelina Zheng, 12, reflects. The subdued feelings post-horror are comparable to the strange calmness one feels after screaming their head off on a roller-coaster. 

       Next time you’re having trouble thinking about what to do with your friends for your next gathering, consider a horror movie marathon. Maybe the tightness of your friend’s grip on your arm will be enough to distract you from the disturbing scenes in front of you.