By Liv Whitlock

Fear, as per Merriam-Webster, is defined as “an unpleasant, often strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger.”

It is human nature to be fearful. It stems from evolutionary self-preservation techniques and everyone is afraid of something. Whether it’s a fear of failure, embarrassment, or even loss, this primal instinct can spur us into action. 

“For me, I have a fear of test-taking,” senior Simon Marasco said. “More specifically, though, I want to talk about how this fear prepared me, and set me up for success.”

“Last year, with the close of the school year came the whirlwind of finals, AP exams, and standardized tests on top of it all; for good reason, I was overwhelmed and stressed beyond belief,” Marasco said. “But, for some reason, this fear of failure kind of pushed me into a strict routine of studying and preparation. That anxiety lit a flame within me that made me so determined to succeed.”

In the face of fear, Marasco did not give in. He got comfortable with the forced discomfort to achieve high marks.

“I can’t say that my preparation got rid of that fear entirely, but it helped to settle my racing mind,” Marasco said. “So when it came time for ‘test day’ I sat in the chair I’d be in for the next 4-5 hours and accepted the fact that I did everything I could, and whatever happens next was what was going to happen”

Fear is inevitable. There’s no getting around it; but you can get over it. 

“I don’t quite remember where I heard this quote, but it has helped me process my own fears. It goes something like this: ‘If you can’t beat the fear, do it scared’,” Marasco said.