Ghost stories get attention in residence halls

by Valerie Rojas
Staff Writer

The room is dark, the only light coming from the candles burning in the middle of the room. There is complete silence with the exception of the speaker's voice and the soft exhalation of those hanging on every word.

The arms of each listener are covered in goose bumps. The story is finished. Some laugh, some shiver, some shake their heads in disbelief.

Whether it is told around a campfire, during a slumber party or at a Halloween party, a good ghost story never goes out of style.

Every year, as Halloween draws close, the popularity of ghost stories begins to rise.

The familiar ghost story is something that never grows old. For years people have been sharing tales of deceased loved ones coming back to right their wrongs and stories of bitter ghosts with grudges to settle returning for revenge.

On almost every college campus, one may find a story that has been passed down through the dorm residents over time. This story changes from campus to campus, but usually it involves the same plot: "Many years ago, a resident killed herself in this very room. And sometimes, just sometimes, you can hear her attempts to communicate."

Of course this story is probably not true, but just try to tell that to a few students who are convinced otherwise.

"I know it sounds crazy, but I am sure I have had an encounter with a ghost before," said Stephanie Nuyten, sophomore and former Brandt Hall resident.

"I bet there was a ghost in my dorm, or at least somewhere on campus. You know how old this campus is, it's possible," Nuyten said.

Why do these stories get passed on year after year? What makes a good ghost story so alluring? Why do people enjoy scaring the twilights out of themselves and their friends?

"People like the anxiety. They like to experience the thrill, the excitement without the risk," said Blake Armstrong, World of Wonder transcriptionist and self-declared film buff.

"No one wants to be chased by some ghost, but they do not mind hearing about it happening to someone else," Armstrong said.

When the thrill of just hearing a good ghost story gets a little dull, there are other forms of paranormal entertainment that any ghost fan can get themselves involved in.

Numerous ghost hunting and paranormal investigation organizations have surfaced, giving the average Joe or Jane an opportunity to investigate their favorite ghost story.

The Southern California Ghost Hunter's Society, located in San Gabriel Valley, is no longer accepting members for its teams, but it does give aspiring ghost hunters the chance to submit investigation requests to the team.

"Our goal is to understand the paranormal and why it occurs. We strive for knowledge and understanding of the supernatural and provide that knowledge to those who wish to learn more," an SCGHS spokesperson said.

Using EMF detectors, SCGHS believes it has captured a number of findings on film. Visit www.scghs.com for more.