With the arrival of October, BYU students have begun the annual Reaping.
Of movie partners, that is.
“It’s a delicate process,” Miranda Mitchell, a dedicated horror nerd and Film Studies major, told me as she glanced furtively around the quad. “You have to send out signals without alerting the SOs of what you’re planning.”
The SOs, or “Sheltered Ones,” are those BYU students who weren’t allowed to watch The Princess and the Frog because it was “too scary” and “invited the spirit of darkness.” Mitchell directed me to an obvious SO nearby, a freshman.
Catherine (Cat) Scharedy’s eyes widened as I asked her if what her favorite scary movie for the season was. “I don’t watch those kinds of movies,” she assured me. “Everyone has their agency, but the only spirit I let into my house is the Holy Spirit.”
Another SO, Ellie Young, tearfully told me of an experience in her sophomore year. “September had just ended,” she began. “It was, like, October 2. I came home and-” Unable to continue, Young took a moment to compose herself, turning away and–as she told me–saying “a quiet prayer of the heart.”
Young finished her story in a near whisper. “They were watching Coraline. On campus.” She shook her traumatized blond head. “I couldn’t believe it. I hid in my room all night, and I had to call my FHE brother to bless the family room the next day.”
For BYU students, SOs prove a considerable obstacle to finding people to enjoy horror movies with. Another avid watcher, Bennet Pratt, told me his foolproof method. “It’s all about displacement. I mention someone else is watching the movie later and watch their reaction.” He added an important warning. “Be careful to keep your tone devoid of implication. If they think you approve of that other imaginary person, they’ll target lock on you.” Apparently, a former roommate had staged an intervention when Pratt watched Get Out two years ago.
However, the greatest risks aren’t the SOs, but those in the middle. Both Pratt and Mitchell attested to having at least forty movie nights ruined by the PPFs: Peer Pressured Fakers.
“They do it every time.” Mitchell complained. “They might say, ‘I like scary movies’ or ‘I’m sure I’ll be fine’ and then they cry for two hours after the movie finishes.” Sorting between true horror aficionados and the lukewarm pretenders becomes more difficult every year, but brave souls like Mitchell and Pratt persist.
“It’s the reason for the season.” Pratt said solemnly. “If I can’t even find someone to watch The Shining with, I’ve failed.”
As spooky season deepens, we at the Alternate Universe wish all BYU students luck in their quests to find their Halloween bliss, whether that be Hereditary or It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!