That One Time I Let a Video Scare Me into Sharing

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Ever since I started using phones, I don’t think there’s ever been a time I believed those "forward this message to 10 people to secure your blessing or lose someone you love" types of WhatsApp messages.

You know the ones. They usually end in some dramatic line like, “Don't break the chain, or else…” Yeah, no thanks.

But seeing those same fear-based messages in video format just hits different.

One time, I was scrolling on Instagram, minding my business. I stumbled on a “Did You Know?” video. You know, those ones that start with an interesting fact and keep you hooked with a promise of more. I’m always curious, so of course I kept watching.

The video began with one random-but-cool fact, then went: “Before this video ends, you’ll learn 10 facts that’ll blow your mind. But before we continue… 2025 won’t be a good year for you if you don’t click the share button. Share this video with 10 friends and to your WhatsApp…”

At that moment, I knew I had messed up. I should’ve swiped faster than a debit card at checkout the second I heard “but before we continue…” 😭

Ladies and gentlemen, I did share that video. Yep. To 10 friends, simply because unlike those from WhatsApp broadcast messages, this one sounded like a proper curse. My spirit said no. 😂

So yeah, I guess that’s the one digital superstition I’ve fallen for. The one and only. Let’s not talk about it again.

But you see, I once had a roommate in 100 level (uni days!) who took digital superstition to another level. I still laugh every time I remember her.

She firmly believed that you must never go to bed with any digital screen facing up. Phones, laptops, iPads, whatever screen it was, it needed to be flipped down or shut completely. Never facing up. And absolutely never facing you. And that wasn’t even the wildest part.

This same girl refused to let any mirror face her bed. She said a mirror should not be the first thing you see when you wake up, or the last thing you see before you sleep. But the worst? A mirror facing you while you’re asleep.

At first, I thought her screen-phobia came from a fear of Big Brother-style surveillance, you know, maybe she thought we were being watched through our device cameras. Or maybe she believed we were in a simulation and even the moon and sun were part of the programming. I was definitely reaching, but can you blame me? She never explained it.

Until one day, I asked. She told me, with full seriousness, that some videos carry evil energy. And when you sleep, that energy can seep out of the screen and attack you. 😳 Apparently, mirrors can also serve as channels for spirits.

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LMAO. Either she grew up watching too many old Nollywood movies… or someone seriously traumatized her with horror films. Of course, I laughed. But I didn’t try to change her mind. Who knows what she’s seen or why she believes what she does?

Eventually, I had to change rooms after 100 level. She started to terrify me. Her superstitions went way beyond digital and started feeling a little too real.

You know what they say: what you believe becomes your reality. And before she dragged me into that reality with her, I packed my things and said a peaceful bye-bye.

As for me? I believe in facts. Evidence. Logic. If your superstition doesn’t have receipts to back it up? Sorry love, count me out.

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This article is a response to the digi-prompt for this week in the digital lifestyle community.

📝 Digital Superstitions
What’s the funniest digital superstition you’ve heard? Some years ago people were made to believe something bad was going to happen to them if they did not forward a particular message to hundred people. Tell us the ones you’ve seen.

Let me know yours in the comments. No judgment, I promise. 😂

_{Thank you for reading! 🧸🧡}

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