WVXU: It's Friday the 13th. Do you suffer from 'triskaidekaphobia'?
UC folklore and superstitions expert explains the rationale for a day dreaded by some
The 13th day of the month will fall on a Friday twice in 2023: Today, which is Jan. 13 and again on Oct. 13th.
Some see it as just any other day of the year, while others hang on to a superstition that goes back as far as the 1800s.
"It's definitely a Western sort of phobia and the word for it is 'triskaidekaphobia,' " Rebecca Borah, professor of English at the University of Cincinnati, told WVXU in a segment on the auspicious, and sometimes feared, day of the month.
Those who believe it’s an unlucky day might take extra precautions, such as holding up in their homes, which is convenient given a time when work from home is acceptable, says Borah. Others might see it as a lucky day, especially if they are born on a Friday the 13th. “People will see that as so unlucky that it is lucky," she says.
Simply being aware of superstitions may help to instill a sense of order in a world of random and uncontrollable worries, she also explained in an article in the NEWSEXPLORER, which cited her quote from a National Geographic article from 2014: “When you have rules and you know how to play by them, it always seems a lot easier.”
For anyone who does decide to hold up in the homes, it might not be the best approach as statistically most accidents happen at home.
The articles below cite Borah as an expert in folk lore and superstitions and explain the origins of Friday the 13th.
It's Friday the 13th. Do you suffer from 'triskaidekaphobia'?
Here's why Friday the 13th scares us
Why Does Friday the 13th Scare Us So Much?
Featured image courtesy of Unsplash.
Impact Lives Here
The University of Cincinnati is leading public urban universities into a new era of innovation and impact. Our faculty, staff and students are saving lives, changing outcomes and bending the future in our city's direction. Next Lives Here.
Related Stories
What would expanded access to GLP-1s mean for the obesity rate?
December 4, 2025
The World Health Organization recently issued its first guidance on GLP-1 medications for adults with obesity — recommending long-term, continuous use when clinically appropriate. Malti Vij, MD, University of Cincinnati adjunct associate professor in the College of Medicine's Department of Internal Medicine, appeared on Cincinnati Edition on 91.7 WVXU News to discuss GLP-1s and what expanded insurance coverage of the medications might mean for Americans.
Teaching empathy and courage
December 4, 2025
Two University of Cincinnati co-op students engage children in hands-on “Superhero Activation” activities at the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center, helping young visitors learn kindness, courage and how to be upstanders.
UC College of Engineering and Applied Science receives $10 million scholarship estate gift
December 4, 2025
A $10 million estate gift from Ray Brooks, CEAS ’83, and Connie Brooks will benefit generations of students at the University of Cincinnati College of Engineering and Applied Science. The impact of the Connie and Ray Brooks Scholarship Fund, originally established in 2018 with a five-figure donation, will be far-reaching for UC students and the engineering industry.