Fear: questions and Band 8 answers

To be honest, I'm terrified of spiders. Even tiny house spiders make my skin crawl, so whenever I spot one lurking in the corner of my flat, I have to call my flatmate to take it outside under a glass.

I used to be petrified of the dark. I always imagined monsters hiding under my bed, so I insisted on sleeping with a hallway light on until I was about nine years old, which drove my parents slightly mad.

Not really, no. I'm quite a jumpy person, so I tend to avoid gory or supernatural films altogether. If a friend drags me along to the cinema for one, I usually spend half the time covering my eyes.

I try to take slow, deep breaths to keep my heart rate down. If I'm anxious before an exam or an interview, going for a brisk walk around the block usually helps clear my head and settle my nerves.

Definitely. As a kid, I worried about silly things like ghosts, but nowadays my fears are much more practical. I worry about things like financial instability or something happening to my family, which I suppose is part of growing up.