Superstitions My Asian Parents Told Me
Submitted by Hera Lee
Growing up in both South Korea and the United States, I have heard a fair share of superstitions from both countries, some even overlapping due to similarities. For as long as I remember, I avoided stepping on cracks, held my breath as I drove past graveyards, and never opened an umbrella indoors. People may not notice, but popular, silly superstitions such as these control our basic lives. Whether you believe in superstitions or not, you often think about them as you approach a sidewalk crack or a black cat in an alleyway. I grew up hearing about many superstitions from my parents, and oftentimes they would try to pass it on as facts instead of beliefs. I thought it would be interesting to share some of these superstitions, and I hope you can either relate to or enjoy reading them!
1. Looking at your screen in the dark will ruin your eyesight.
For as long as I remember, I thought this was true, but I recently found out that it isn’t! I had perfect vision as a kid, so I wasn’t too worried about “ruining” my eyesight. Let’s be honest, watching a show or scrolling through your phone is always more enjoyable in the dark. However, my dad absolutely hated when I did, and would yell and turn on the lights before I could protest. Well, I would like to inform my dad that this isn’t true at all—while it may strain your eyes, it does not directly affect your vision!
2. Sleeping with the fan on in an enclosed space will suffocate you in your sleep.
So, this superstition may be a bit too dark for some readers, but my mom told me as a kid that if I slept with the fan on, I would basically die. I was traumatized when learning about this, and would never have the fan on before I slept no matter how hot that night was. Even if I wasn’t sleeping, I would make sure the door or window was open when the fan was on. It’s safe to say that I was absolutely TERRIFIED. This superstition is pretty popular in Asia, but it normally goes saying if you sleep with the fan on, you’ll get sick, not dead… I don’t understand why my mom had to add the little extra twist, but it might have to do with her wanting to save on the electricity bill.
3. For every grain of rice you leave behind your future partner will have a spot of acne.
I would always have a bowl of rice with every meal I had at home, no matter what I ate. My family decides to eat steak? Add a bowl of rice. Eating noodles? Don’t forget the rice! Due to our family eating a lot of rice, my mom made sure we finished all of it. As a frugal parent, she probably didn’t want to waste any food, but she is also a big believer in this superstition. I know this might be a little silly to some, but I think it’s a nice belief to follow so you never waste food. If you give me a bowl of rice, I will always clean the bowl squeaky-clean. As my mom says, finish your bowl of rice as if you were cleaning the bowl clean.
4. Going outside with wet hair will make you sick.
I’m always on the run and am late to almost everything (friends and family can back this up). From middle school, through high school, and even now, I often shower right before I go to class/school. This meant I would walk out with wet hair. My mom hated when I left the house with wet hair so much that she would force me to stay a bit to blow dry my hair because she claimed I would get sick. If I randomly got sick, my mom would always blame it on me going to school with wet hair, so I stopped showering in the morning in high school. Now that I live on campus, I started going out with wet hair more often, and everytime I do, I feel guilty towards my mom. Mayo Clinic says that while wet hair in a cold environment can make you feel cold and uncomfortable, it will not give you a cold. Although this may be true, I still believe this superstition, and for the sake of my mom, I try not to walk out with wet hair.
5. Stretching your limbs will help you grow taller.
While this may be a really embarrassing story to tell, I felt as if sharing this superstition is a good way to close this article. During my elementary school years, I would lie on my back on the floor and my mom would grab my limbs and pull away. Just straight up pull my arms and legs as far as she could go. She did this because she believed it would help my brother and I grow taller. I don’t remember it hurting, but I do remember feeling stupid as I laid on the ground as my mom was gripping my arms or legs. I think it’s cute that my mom thought she could help us grow a bit more, and I like to believe it kind of worked (although I’m 5’3). I am taller than my mom and almost taller than my dad, so I’ll have to give my mom some credit.
Anyways, I hope you enjoyed reading about the 5 superstitions my parents taught me as a child, and I hope you could relate to some of them! Let me know other superstitions you want to share!
Source:
https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/can-wet-hair-make-you-sick
