Friday the 13th, the Bar Exam, and the Power of Superstition

It’s Friday the 13th—the unofficial holiday for broken mirrors, black cats, and horror movie reruns. But if you’re a law student or bar taker, you already know a thing or two about fear.

High-stakes exams like the bar bring out all kinds of anxious behaviors—and yes, even a little superstition. And guess what? That might not be such a bad thing.

Photo by Emmeli M on Unsplash

Every year I hear from students who swear by their rituals:

💬 “I only do MPTs on Thursdays—my lucky day.”

💬 “If my bar review course dashboard opens to Torts, I know it’s going to be okay.”

💬 “I hit 75% on Contracts last month, so I’m not touching it again. Don’t want to jinx it.”

💬 “My hoodie got me through finals. It’s now my bar prep armor.”

It’s easy to laugh these off. But there's growing research that suggests superstitions—however irrational—can actually improve performance. Not because of any magical force, but because they boost confidence and reduce anxiety.

In a study published in Psychological Science ("Keep Your Fingers Crossed!: How Superstition Improves Performance"), researchers found that people who engaged in a superstition (like bringing a lucky charm or hearing “break a leg”) performed better on tasks than those who didn’t. The reason? These rituals increased the participants’ belief in themselves, which led to better performance on both physical and mental challenges.

It’s not about luck. It’s about self-efficacy—the belief that you can succeed. And belief is a powerful thing, especially when your brain is fried from MBE sets and essay rubrics.

Superstition isn’t magic. It’s mental strategy disguised as ritual.

That said, not all habits are helpful. If your “ritual” becomes a substitute for actual preparation, that’s where things go off the rails.

✅ Helpful: Starting every study session with a specific playlist to get in the zone.

🚫 Unhelpful: Avoiding Evidence altogether because you “haven’t passed a practice quiz on it since last Wednesday.”

The key is to make sure your superstition supports your preparation—not replaces it.

On this Friday the 13th, lean into your rituals—but make them intentional.

• Do a short warm-up quiz to signal that it’s time to focus.

  
  

• Wear the hoodie that makes you feel like a boss.

  
  

• Use the same chair if it helps you concentrate.

  
  

• Then put in the real work: write an MPT, review a weak topic, or teach a rule out loud.

  
  

Happy Friday the 13th. May your outlines be sharp, your coffee strong, and your performance powered by confidence.