The spooky Halloween season is approaching, and go are the paranormal entities that are said to come out to play each year. This would be the time to get out a Ouija board and communicate with the so-called spirit world. Some don’t believe in ghosts and think that the board is a hoax, while others believe it is far from just a simple game.

     There are various “true horror stories” about Ouija board experiences involving famous people, such as Cherie Currie, however one must decide themselves if they think it is made up. Ouija boards are sometimes looked at as just an innocent sleepover game, in which users are looking for some spooky fun. But others believe it is way more serious than this.

     Singer Cherie Currie is a strong believer in communication with Ouija Boards. “Never ask the spirits in because they will come,” she said in an interview with The Washington Post. The celebrity exposed how she had an obsession with Ouija Boards in her pre-teen years, and would spend hours talking to it about boys and kissing. Claiming to be a man, the planchette would move on its own to spell out “Oh, you’re pretty” among other things to make Currie feel good about herself. However, she explained that using the board so frequently turned her into a “dark and brooding person” which would translate to violence with her family. She attributes this behavior to being consumed by spirits on the board.

     Grant Wilson, star of of the Sci Fi channel hit show “Ghost Hunters,” has reportedly been in contact with ghosts countless times and tells people who train for the show that they can be “punched, slapped, and grabbed” by spirits. According to the paranormal investigators of the TV show, “A person who uses Ouija Boards or anything else to contact ghosts can unleash malevolent spirits.” Many ghost hunters say that they entered the field because they have personal experiences with the supernatural, and others want to know if there is anything beyond death. In an interview with CNN Wilson said, “You might not be ready for what happens.”

     Grant Wilson, star of of the Sci Fi channel hit show “Ghost Hunters,” has reportedly been in contact with ghosts countless times and tells people who train for the show that they can be “punched, slapped, and grabbed” by spirits. According to the paranormal investigators of the TV show, “A person who uses Ouija Boards or anything else to contact ghosts can unleash malevolent spirits.” Many ghost hunters say that they entered the field because they have personal experiences with the supernatural, and others want to know if there is anything beyond death. In an interview with CNN Wilson said, “You might not be ready for what happens.”

     Come across real spirits in their sessions, psychologists have evidence as to why the whole thing is a hoax. Psychology practices reveal that a process called the ideomotor effect might be behind why the pieces appear to move on their own. We move things without knowing it which is thought to be unconscious movement.

     To see what Westside thinks about Ouija Boards, Craze constructed some questions to ask students. Out of the five students questioned, not one of them actually believes it really works.

     “I think that it would be really cool if it works, but I don’t think that it [does].” said Elliot Evans, freshman. Many of the students want to believe it’s legit, but have not had any abnormalities with the board themselves.

     Eleanor Dodge, sophomore, described a camp experience where some girls in her cabin used a Ouija board and a broken fan started to spin uncontrollably. “Some weird things happened after that.” she said. However, Dodge still does not believe it’s real.

     It’s up to your own judgement when deciding if it’s real or not. Ouija Boards are a mystery and no one knows for sure if they actually contact spirits. Nevertheless, follow the rules and be careful. Good luck and have a great spooky season.

story by syd barton, graphic by kaitlyn jansen