Weird stuff your classmates invented (sometimes seemingly on the spot) is kind of an underrated foundational element of a love of horror. People often talk about books they read, movies they watched, even the stories you heard from adults, but the amateurish, often nonsensical stories you might hear from your peers could also be affecting, especially, for me, in that they helped teach me how absurdity could enhance the frights.
I definitely related to this one. My childhood neighborhood and grade school had all sorts of weird lore the kids made up.
Weird stuff your classmates invented (sometimes seemingly on the spot) is kind of an underrated foundational element of a love of horror. People often talk about books they read, movies they watched, even the stories you heard from adults, but the amateurish, often nonsensical stories you might hear from your peers could also be affecting, especially, for me, in that they helped teach me how absurdity could enhance the frights.