SU Paranormal

The meeting opened with mostly mundane stuff—talk about budget hearings and homemade cookie fundraiser results—but when the club’s VP turned to me and the three-person student documentary team who were also sitting in on this SU Paranormal meeting and asked us if we had any questions, the group began to overflow with campus ghost stories.

They talked about “No-Face Girl,” a shadowy little kid who lives (if “lives” is the right word) in Seibert Hall and watches you from the foot of your bed; a big, dark figure with red eyes who can be seen staring out the door at the end of the hallway in one of the freshman dorms; the “evil hallway” in the basement of Weber Chapel where the group once had their flashlights flicker out.

“When all you can see are the exit signs, that’s what you’re running for,” said the VP, vigorously nodding her head.

The group takes its investigations seriously.  They have a strict no practical-joke-scaring policy and insist that no one goes off on their own. They also have a no-flip-flops rule (they make too much noise).  Through the cookie fundraiser I mentioned above, they're hoping to earn enough money to take a Gettysburg Ghost Tour trip. 

And equipment is important. On walkthroughs, the group carries EMF detectors for detecting electromagnetic fields, digital voice recorders for picking up EVP (“Electronic Voice Phenomena”), flashlights for obvious reasons, and digital cameras for capturing orbs of light that can’t be seen by the naked eye.

“The strangest thing I’ve ever encountered,” said Rob, “is capturing orbs on camera in Weber Chapel.”

Orbs, however, Angie pointed out, are contested as evidence of paranormal activity because they can be caused by dust particles in the air.

Whether you believe in ghosts or not—and even the club members range from firm believers to mild skeptics—SU Paranormal is a fun group to talk to, especially if you enjoy passionate storytelling.

“I think I might have to sleep with the lights on tonight,” I said as I closed my notebook, smiling even though, honestly, their stories had raised my heart rate higher than I’d like to admit.

The VP widened her smile, ready to tell another story. “What dorm are you in?”

“I’m not telling you.”