1.
I was so afraid of animals when I was younger—all kinds of animals— cats, horses, you name it. I didn't like the way they felt when I touched them, and I was sure they were going to bite me. I even hated going to the zoo. That all changed when I turned 13, and my mom gave me a kitten for my birthday. He was so cute and friendly that I realized an animal can really be your best friend.
2.
I was afraid of snakes when I was a kid. I remember going to the zoo and seeing them there, and I thought they were kind of cute. But once, when I was out hiking, I nearly stepped on one, and it tried to bite me. It was really ugly and I'm sure it was poisonous. Since then, I've been pretty terrified of them. I could never touch one now!
3.
Some people hate spiders. They think they're really creepy. I guess I felt like that when I was a kid. I used to scream if I saw a spider, on the wall. My friend had a pet spider and I couldn't go near it. Then when I went to college, we had a spider collection in our biology lab. When we studied them, I decided they were interesting and intelligent, too. I kind of like them now.
4.
I was always afraid of the water as a kid. I would never go into the pool or swim at the beach. I was sure I would drown. Then I took swimming lessons in high school. Once I learned how to swim, I felt different. Now I love the water and especially the beach. I feel totally safe because now I know how to take care of myself in the water.
5.
I don't really like driving on the freeway. I guess it's because the traffic moves so fast. I didn't use to be so nervous. I used to travel all over using the freeways. But one day, I was in a car accident and I lost all my confidence. So nowadays, I only use the freeway when it's really necessary.
6.
The first time I got on an airplane, I was terrified. I just couldn't understand how a big, heavy thing like a plane could stay up in the air. After we were in the air for a while, I spoke to the man next to me. He was an airplane engineer and explained how airplanes stay in the air. That really helped because I understand how planes work. I was still a little nervous on the next few flights, but now I really love flying. |
