So recently I learned about a thing called liminal space. While most descriptions of it you find on google are imo a bit bogus the main idea is that it's a specific place that marks a transition, is unfamiliar but also is familiar, and may invoke a certain mental state. It's a mix of unfamiliar, ominous, calm, and alone. Definitely not creepy or dangerous. It may invoke unease, but curiosity may make you want to take a peak around. At the very moment you look a sensation may hit you.

Some examples of such places may include:

1. Stairwells and elevators
2. Art galleries when empty other than you
3. Hotel hallways late at night
4. Empty schools during break or night
5. Empty indoor parking lots
6. The lighting section of hardware stores

So I wonder if anyone experienced this before.

Ooooo i think lots of people can relate to this. I once sat in the middle of my school field, at night, all alone. It was completely lit up but i couldn't take the stress, I don't know why. Also, hotel hallways late at night. Could it possibly be because we associate these places in our heads as always filled with people, and the sudden lack of any humans makes it weird?

I feel like I get it, I once biked this big driveway at 2 am and it was empty, it felt unreal just being the only one there. I also feel it when I wake up at 4 am and look outside my window and the streets are dark and empty still. The environment in fallout games also provokes those feelings and thought I have no idea what causes it.

I have experienced that sensation quite a lot of times.

When I used to go to school we passed through this road that had a alleyway, and everytime I looked a that alleyway I had that sensation; the feeling of familiarity but unfamiliar at the same time, feeling like I was the only one there and an urging curiosity to go in and explore the alleyway (Unfortunately I never got to explore the alleyway). This sensation always came but lasted for a few seconds.

That is just one of the many times I had this sensation.

The "we associate these places in our heads as always filled with people, and the sudden lack of any humans makes it weird" part is definitely true. Thinking about it, it can sometimes be on the borderline of what can be a dream - dreams often takes familiar surroundings and make them less familiar. Although one thing different is that I don't find myself having stress or anxiety. Definitely an unease, but more like a "huh, isn't this strange/peculiar" type of unease.

I've never played fallout, but the feeling of it being unreal is part of it.

It's probably for the best. Out of curiosity, did you feel jitters in your head?

I knew my high school pretty much from top to bottom. I've been there often during evenings past dark since I was part of the robotics club trying to get a robot made in 6 weeks. The sensation really hit me when I approaching a corner of the hallway. The other time was when I wad distracted by a unlit custodian closet I never really got to see open.

I have felt this in the mall I work(ed?), as most stores were closed/empty and there is barely any people, almost all the hallways were silent, absolutely silent, only the lights, the flooring, and I was there. As the mall is quite big, there was a lot of nothingness to explore.

A good part of that place had natural light, so it made me feel more calm as I explored, then I reached one of the latest floors, the view was great, I gazed into the distance, accompanied by just myself. It was noon, but I was practically alone in there. That experience felt like a strange mix between calm and tension, familiarity and unfamiliarity, and a deep feeling of desolation and nostalgia.

I think that feeling comes from past hidden experiences, as my 2 minute "research" indicates that different people from different world regions have drastically different reactions to these imagery. I personally have experienced this before, but it's from generally anything I remember filled with people that is empty. It does as you say invoke unease but not fear.

abraker wrote:

RayRaivern

I have experienced that sensation quite a lot of times.

When I used to go to school we passed through this road that had a alleyway, and everytime I looked a that alleyway I had that sensation; the feeling of familiarity but unfamiliar at the same time, feeling like I was the only one there and an urging curiosity to go in and explore the alleyway (Unfortunately I never got to explore the alleyway). This sensation always came but lasted for a few seconds.

That is just one of the many times I had this sensation.

It's probably for the best. Out of curiosity, did you feel jitters in your head?

No, I never felt jitters in my head. It felt calm and quite like suddenly I was all alone but I didn't feel lonely or scared.

I’ve experienced this before mainly in yt compilations with unsettling music. But i have experienced it ONCE in real life. I made sure to take a picture of this place too

Since I've created this thread there has been an emergence of a following based on what I described. It's really interesting how this concept spawned out of nowhere in the past year. There is a vid describing this in better detail:

how the hell did this thread come back.

Yeah it happens. The creepiness usually kicks in when I look at schools at night/break.

I have experienced the sensation over and over again,

Back in middle school, Me and my friends usually will do a hide and seek or "try not to get scared challenge"
Our school is pretty big, its a six floor building with long corridor to separate classes. we usually will wait at a local gaming store (My country have places where we can rent computer so we can use it). at pretty much evening. we will break in to school (the fences is pretty easy to get over with), and go to the fifth floor, so we will bring Drink, food, flashlight and other things, and we will choose who will be the seeker. in the end, I was the seeker, so I count to 20, and others will hide. after counting to 20, I search around the school to catch the seeker, its feel like really scary because the corridor and the room are very dark, and I can hear footsteps of my friend trying to find a good hiding spot. put its give me advantage. because I can see the hider flashlight and hear footsteps. Well I caught almost all my friend, and one remaining. I thought its gonna be pretty easy to catch him, but I was wrong. I search and search for 10 minute straight, Floor after floor cant still find him. then a few minutes later I searched all floor, except for one floor, the sixth floor. The floor is already abandoned and has been rumor for "Ghost Activity". I didn't search it because its just has two room on it. so I foolishly Go to the floor and use flashlight ALONE, at first I can see one room on the end of the corridor the door has a square shape window, I see a fake skeleton so I thought it a science classroom then I see a second room on the right middle of the corridor. I pretty much walk slowly with cautious because its very dark there. so I walk and walk, the corridor full of weird drawing. When I reach the second room, I open the door and What I see is a Whiteboard, 1 teacher table, and 10 Student tables, so I walk around to see a two closets on the side, its pretty much rusted so I thought its impossible for my friend to hide in it. so just leave the room. Put when I gonna walk to the exit door. the closets fell to the floor and the door shuts closely.so my friend that are waiting from fifth floor run to the sixth floor to see me Crouching, crying and shivers. including my friend that hiding. so they calming me down and Help me walk to the fifth Floor, and waiting for me to call for my mom to get me home.


The sixth floor is pretty ominous, even the drawing one of them has a girl strangling in a rope.
Never I imagine writing an entire story on this website and on this topic, because most of it is unrelated
so TL;DR= when I walk to the Second room , the environment feel with Ominous and calm feeling. when I walk to the corridor
its pretty calm and relaxing (and a bit scared).put when I reach and open the second room door, thats where something became really bad. the room feel with ominous feeling, the calm and relaxing sensation I feel from walking throu the corridor isn't there anymore.

Well I have a lot of free time to write an entire story. even tho its most of it unrelated. i hope you enjoy reading it(writing this already giving me goosebumps).

I always get that feeling, oddly enough, it only happens in the noon and a not-so-big room/building
That thing always gives me a chill..

ive had this is more "advanced" ways i guess

as i can sense what energy is going around at these certain places (if you believe in that ofcourse)
in these places you can predict what happened, because of this they give an ominous or interesting feeling (at least for me)