Retail is the type of job that many dread to think about working. A very underappreciated type of work, retail is described by Indeed as a type of job that involves “selling products to customers.”
From a small business to a large corporation, there are many different types of retail jobs. While there are admittedly a lot of negatives to working these types of jobs, I thought it would be interesting to write about the benefits of being a retail worker. As of June 2025, I have been working in a retail job at a popular phone service company. This is the first retail job that I’ve done in my life, and I thought about writing about the benefits that come along with this unique kind of job.
Most retail jobs are at places that involve interacting with the public quite often. Whether it be a large fast food chain or a small coffee shop, retail jobs involve interacting with customers who are interested in food, services or products.
One benefit that retail workers have is being exposed to many different types of people. As someone who works at a phone store where anyone who has enough money can buy a piece of technology that fits in their pocket, many different people come into the store. People of color, people with disabilities, people who are kind, some who are unfortunately not and some who are just looking for some help with an issue.
Aside from the background of customers, many fit into four different types: direct, emotional, expressive and analytical.
Customers who are direct prefer to have all the facts laid out in front of them immediately so that they have a clear image of what is happening. They want to feel like they are in control of the situation and don’t want their time to be wasted.
Then, there are the emotional types of customers who enjoy getting to know the person they are working with. Conversation is valued with these patrons, and they appreciate wanting to be included in whatever transaction they are doing, whether it be speaking about their day when waiting for items to be scanned or wanting to know how the product will help them.
Expressive customers enjoy connecting with people and will often speak about things aside from the items in front of them. It’s important for the worker to acknowledge their desire to connect with them and get to know them.
Lastly, there are analytical customers. Similar to the direct types of consumers, analytical people are less likely to want to engage in small talk and want to get accurate information from the person. They want their concerns or questions to be acknowledged properly and to be taken seriously.
All these types of customers teach the retail associate how to interact with them, what will make them happy and what will potentially upset them. This can be a very eye-opening experience for those who may not have been exposed to different types of people. This allows retail workers to develop customer service skills, confidence, empathy and sales knowledge.
Another strength that comes from retail work is the variety there is in it. Entry-level jobs include cashiers, people who collect payments for the items that customers buy and customer service representatives, who are responsible for speaking with customers about any questions, concerns or complaints they may have about purchases or services. There are also sales associates, which is what I am. A sales associate is a mix of the previous two, where they are responsible for greeting customers, answering questions and using cash registers to process payments. These jobs can be done throughout fast food places, supermarkets, coffee shops, pottery shops and phone retailers.
For those who do not like interacting with the public very much, there are a few retail jobs that can at least limit the number of people that need to be seen by the worker. There are the obvious ones, such as inventory specialists or those who package products for delivery. These types of jobs involve storing and tracking supplies that are needed for the business. They can help people learn organizational, technical and logistical skills. There are also visual merchandisers, who are the ones who create appealing displays to attract customers to their products. They need visual design skills as well as a creative mind to do their job properly.
However, it’s important to acknowledge that there are some negatives that come with this type of job. It’s well known that those who work in retail are incredibly underappreciated. Working in this type of environment that involves working with the public and always maintaining friendly mannerisms can be exhausting. It can also be difficult if someone were to encounter customers who were rude or demanding. However, I will say that it is rare to deal solely with terrible people. There are usually some good customers that will help balance out the day.
Another negative that can come with this type of work is irregular scheduling. A lot of different customer service industries, in particular, can have special hours outside of a regular work week, such as holidays or weekends. There can also be a variety in the hours of a shift that a service worker can be scheduled to do every week. While it could be seen as a flexible work schedule for some, for those who enjoy consistency in their hours, this type of scheduling can be annoying.
Retail work has been underappreciated for way too long now. While there are definitely a lot of complaints I can make about working the job I have currently at the phone service company, I will say it has been the most character-building experience I’ve had in my life. Patience has been tested, coworkers have been bonded with, scheduling has been flexible enough to attend university and I have spoken to many kinds of people in the six months I’ve worked there.
To anyone who works a retail job — I appreciate you.
The topic of mental health has been a controversial topic for some. Despite the progress that has been made with the depiction of it in movies and shows, there are many who have negative thoughts about those who have mental illnesses. There are a lot of negative stereotypes or beliefs about these disorders in the public eye. Whether it be certain cultures’ view on it or the spread of inaccurate information about various mental conditions, our health in the mind has always had a stigma surrounding it.
Stigma is defined by Oxford Languages as “a mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance, quality, or person.” Stigma originates from a lack of understanding or fear of a subject. In the case of mental health, a lot of people do not understand it, leading to many misconceptions being spread about it. According to the American Psychiatric Association, more than half of people with a mental illness are not receiving help for their disorder. People actively avoid seeking treatment for their mental health due to stigma surrounding the subject that could make people around them treat them differently. Stigma, prejudice and discrimination against those with mental health issues could be subtle or obvious. An example would be having a get-together with friends, but excluding one of the friends who has told them that they suffer from a mental illness; another would be using derogatory labels on them, such as “psycho” or saying that they’re “crazy.”
There are three types of stigma that should be understood. First is public stigma — these are the negative attitudes that the public has about mental health, which leads to discriminatory thoughts for individuals who have them. Second, self-stigma is the destructive thoughts that someone who has a mental condition will have. This can lead to shame or suppression of their problems, which is self-destructive in both ways and will not aid the person in their situation. Finally, there is structural stigma, which is a systemic type of bias that involves policies in the government or other organizations that either intentionally or unintentionally place limits on people with mental illness on what they can and cannot do. An example of this would be unequal insurance coverage. Some insurance companies are more likely to cover physical injuries than treatments for mental health, like therapy or prescription medication.
Recently, I was beginning to wonder why mental health is seen so terribly in the first place. I knew why, from a Hispanic background, as in many Latin American cultures, it is viewed as a sign of weakness. Many people who are part of this culture take pride in their ability to manage themselves and work for everything they have. So when someone admits to having an issue, they can be shamed for being unable to take care of themselves. In other cultures, it is viewed similarly.
In Asian societies, mental illness is viewed as a sign of personal weakness or failure of maintaining self control. Saving face is significant in this culture, as honor is an incredibly valuable social aspect to have. Being associated with a mental illness in this culture could be seen as bringing shame to the family name.
In Arab cultures, mental illnesses are viewed as a form of divine punishment. They are attributed to the person who suffers from the condition doing something to displease the higher power, which will not only bring them potential accusations of wrongdoing, but also stigmatization from their community. Those who struggle with this may also seek out religious or spiritual interventions to treat their illnesses. While it could work for some, it will not work for everyone.
In African cultures, they ascribe spiritual or supernatural causes, such as possession by evil spirits, as the cause for mental conditions. There is also a historical context when considering that many African Americans were denied freedom on the basis of false mental illness diagnoses.
According to Mental Health America, a physician named Samuel Cartwright created racist and false mental diagnoses. The purpose of this was to create a reason not to let enslaved people be free, as they were seen as unable to take care of themselves. “Even in the early 1900s, leading psychiatrists thought Black and African American people to be ‘psychologically unfit’ for freedom.” Their trauma from being enslaved was used against them to keep them oppressed.
Poor depictions of those who have mental illnesses have also spread harmful messages that people who suffer from various disorders are likely to have random bursts of violence or to be labeled as crazy. In reality, someone who has a condition is more likely to be victimized instead of being the cause of other people’s suffering. Mental illness has become overgeneralized, with many media portrayals showing the same kinds of things. A lot of the time, it is depicted as being an incurable condition that no one can recover from. Yet, according to the Centennial Mental Health Center, “as many as 80 percent of people suffering from mental illnesses can effectively return to normal, productive lives if they receive proper treatment.”
On a more personal note, my family had never acknowledged mental health. It was never spoken about, never discussed. It was a completely foreign concept in my very old-school, very Hispanic household. So, when I began having issues with my psychological well-being, I was told that it was all in my head and that I needed to stop feeling sad. I wish it were that easy. Naturally, I was starting to act out as a preteen and my mother decided to send me to counseling. She wanted to know why I was such an angry kid. Eventually, I was diagnosed with depression. I then became the topic of my aunt’s gossip.
A lot of the time, the stigma itself is worse than the actual illness. I certainly feel that way. Those who suffer from mental health issues only want to be seen as a person, not a nutcase or a weak individual. Struggling with the condition itself is difficult and the stigma only makes people feel more isolated. So, when meeting or becoming friends with someone who has a condition — don’t be quick to judge.
I am not a very tech-savvy person. Granted, I know my way around most types of phones and computers. Yet that is mostly due to growing up with this kind of technology around. However, as someone who also works for a cell phone service provider, I have had to interact with, set up and attempt to fix a lot of issues with various devices. If there is anything that I have learned during this time, it is that there are stark differences between iPhone and Android phones.
Growing up, Android phones were what was given to me by my predominantly Apple device-loving family. So here’s what I noticed.
Strengths —Android phones have a much simpler operating system that is easy to use and convenient. It typically has three buttons on the home screen: one to go to the home screen, another to see all apps that are open and the last to go back to the previous screen. Android smartphones also come in many different versions. Samsung alone has three different series of phones, each very starkly different from each other. One is fast, one is foldable and the last is cost-effective while still being a decent phone. Another popular Android phone is Google Pixel, which is well known for its camera quality and sturdy design. Motorola phones are known for being budget-friendly, but are reliable and simple.
Weaknesses —A lot of people with Android phones come into the store to tell me that their phone is full of pop-ups. The most common cause of those is “bad apps” being downloaded. Essentially, any kind of “phone cleaner” app is not actually cleaning the phone. Instead, it is slowing down its performance, and some can cause ads to pop up at random times. The battery life is also a major issue I’ve seen, with many getting new phones due to faulty batteries. There are also the constant updates that are done to the system that some may find annoying.
I recently became an iPhone user. After having the phone for a while now, here’s what I’ve observed.
Strengths —Apple’s phones are incredibly fast, with their chip processors able to have many apps open at once without slowing down the smartphone. For newer models, the iPhone battery life is often incredibly good, being able to last an entire day. They also switched their charger from the Lightning cable to a USB-C to become more compatible for Android users who want to switch to iPhone. Furthermore, iPhone’s have their own Apple ecosystem of apps that allows for a much stronger privacy shield compared to Android. iMessage, FaceTime, Apple Cash, etc., are all iPhone-exclusive applications for these types of phones. The Apple App Store is also much more strict with what apps are allowed to be downloaded from it, making it much less likely for any bad apps to affect iPhone users.
Weaknesses —I believe that iPhone’s main weakness is the lack of variety in their phones. While over time the screen size has gotten bigger and the camera positioning has changed, there isn’t a difference between the models. Obviously, if someone compares the first iPhone to the newest one, they look very different. However, there isn’t a huge change between the iPhone 16 and the iPhone 17. Another issue with Apple is that, due to the strictness of the App Store, many apps are not available to download. There isn’t a variety of different types of apps to get, while Android app stores allow for more options. There is also the fact that iPhones are not as customizable as Android phones. While their display options are sleek and clean looking, I’ve seen much more be able to be done with Androids, whether it be their shortcuts or widget flexibility.
In my opinion, the other differences are minuscule. The keyboards between the two phones look and feel different from each other. Android phones still have “buttons” to control the screen, while iPhone users need to swipe up to navigate the phone.
However, these smaller things are like comparing different fonts. If one is a person who likes consistency, I recommend an iPhone. If variety is preferred, there is an array of different Android phones from many companies that may be the better choice.
According to the Oxford dictionary, a hobby is an activity that is done by a person for the sole purpose of enjoyment or relaxation. Hobbies can range from hiking in the mountains to playing video games at home. I personally don’t have a lot of hobbies. The main hobby I have, writing, has become something I do for school and work. While I still love it with a passion, I have been wanting to take up a new one that doesn’t involve me trying to spell things correctly.
I haven’t had the opportunity to really explore activities to do in my free time. Yet during
break, when I had all the time in the world, I came to the realization that I had no idea how to get a new hobby. I’ve usually just stuck to the ones I had growing up. I can only imagine that a lot of other students feel the same way. Therefore, I have created some tips on how to discover a hobby.
Something simple that anyone can do is create a list of things they like. The list doesn’t have to be concrete. It could range from things done as a child that were fun, like playing tag or building things with LEGOs. Some things to consider would be topics that are engaging and that aren’t tiresome for oneself.
There’s also scheduling that should be considered when taking up a new hobby. As someone with a busy schedule, I would want a hobby that is easy to do anywhere and can be done wherever I go. For someone who would prefer to do something with their hands, crafting and sculpting would be good ideas.
Something that discourages a lot of people from starting new hobbies is the lack of perfection at first. Obviously, no one is going to be good at something from the start, and if they are, they are not human.
Stuart Brown once said, “Life without play is a grinding, mechanical existence organized around doing the things necessary for survival. Play is the vital essence of life. It is what makes life lively.” I’ve thought about trying to start crocheting because the thought of creating my own things sounds awesome. However, I’ve been hesitant to do so because I know for a fact that the first thing I make will look horrifying. Still, that shouldn’t dissuade me or anyone else searching for something new to do in their spare time.
In the mood to make some art but lacking inspiration? The brainstorming has been done so one doesn’t have to. Follow or take another path with any of the prompts below. All of these were accumulated to be used with any art medium — photoshop, clay or watercolor — anything under the sun, go for it.
What does it look or feel like to be underwater?
Hypothetical mountain with colorful unrealistic scenery.
A dessert that reminds one of a beloved family member.
Whether one is a college student with multiple roommates trying to maintain a clean apartment, a spouse sharing the load with their partner or a lone ranger holding down a studio, most can agree that completing chores is a universal struggle. To organize and conquer one’s chores, use the tips listed below to create a customized chore chart tailored to one’s personal living situation and needs.
Consider one’s space. What chores one needs to complete will differ based upon the space in which one lives. Some questions to consider include:
Does one live in a dorm, apartment or house?
Does one have multiple roommates, a spouse or family members? If one shares a space, it is a good rule of thumb to split chores evenly among each individual.
Does one or any of the space’s inhabitants have pets or service animals? Animals that live indoors come with their own set of cleaning responsibilities that need to be completed each day.
Does the space have carpet or hardwood flooring? Depending on the floor type, one may need different tools in order to keep the space clean, such as a broom, vacuum or mop.
Consider how much time one has. Look at how one’s schedule fluctuates. Some time commitments to consider include:
When does one have class?
When does one have appointments?
When does one have shifts or time set aside to work?
When does one plan to go to the gym?
When does one plan to rest?
When does one need to set time aside for self-care?
Consider how often a chore needs to be completed. It is very likely that one does not have the time to deep clean their space every single day. To ensure chores are completed and repeated as much as one desires, consider:
What chores need to be completed daily? Some examples include making one’s bed, washing dishes, picking up one’s mail, wiping down kitchen or bathroom counters or taking out the trash.
What chores need to be completed weekly? Some examples include doing one’s laundry, vacuuming and sweeping all floors, throwing out old food from the refrigerator and thoroughly cleaning one’s toilet and shower.
What chores need to be completed monthly? Some examples include wiping down baseboards, wiping down windows and mirrors or cleaning out one’s dishwasher or garbage disposal.
What chores need to be completed seasonally? Some examples include cleaning out closets and dressers, organizing one’s hygiene or cosmetic products and cleaning under bigger furniture.
A photo of an artwork depicting a woman caressing her cheek in the mirror. | Photo from @alev.neto on Instagram
Jan 7. 2026 | Belen Ponce Leal | Lifestyle Editor
Special thanks to copy editor Kiera Roedel for being the inspiration to write this article.
I have a habit of saying “sorry” a lot. Like, a lot. While apologizing is an important behavior that everyone has hopefully done throughout their lives when needed, I usually do it to the point where it isn’t. It isn’t something that I thought would be such a big problem. After all, I don’t want to be seen as someone who doesn’t take accountability for their actions.
Yet, I can recognize that a lot of the time, I don’t need to say sorry as much as I do. I am an overapologizer. Overapologizing is the act of apologizing so much that it becomes more of a defense mechanism rather than an actual apology. It is not something that a person will wake up with one day and begin doing. It is usually a learned behavior. It is something that has been developed throughout someone’s life without realizing it. Another term for overapologizing is “the anxious sorry.”
Definition —The anxious sorry is a type of safety behavior. A safety behavior, according to Psychology Today, is a type of “short-acting relief technique” that people use to calm their fears or anxiety. They can involve both avoidance and escapism responses, such as procrastination, reassurance-seeking or even stonewalling. Safety behaviors aren’t necessarily a problem for those who do them, but they can become an issue when they have become the only coping mechanism that someone’s used their entire life. Healthy coping mechanisms like learning from mistakes, problem-solving and learning to accept things are all good ways of coping with issues or dramatic changes. Yet, when the automatic response someone has when facing an issue is “sorry,” it can be a clue into a much deeper problem developing in the mind of the apologizer.
What sorry means to an overapologizer —Overapologizers don’t usually say sorry all the time to be polite. It’s often because they fear something. Fear usually ties into all sorts of things, such as being scared of conflict, anxiety, low self-esteem and people-pleasing tendencies. The word “sorry” then becomes a replacement for feelings that a person may not have the capability of confronting or skills to cope with. Constantly apologizing can cause overapologizers a momentary feeling of relief from whatever bad feeling was giving them the need to apologize, whether it be fear of rejection or anxiety. It is that relaxing feeling that can make a person use the word as a strategy in maintaining relationships.
Potential problems — While saying sorry a lot may not seem like such a big deal, it can become harmful. It is incredibly diminishing to the apologizer’s self worth. It reinforces the thought that they’re wrong, that they are “too much” and that the person is responsible for the emotions of others. Apologizing a lot can also be confusing for those who are around you. Saying sorry often can make the word lose its sincerity, and then the person who you are apologizing to doesn’t understand what it is that is actually needed from the apologizer. There is an irrational fear of upsetting others or being uncomfortable when others around them are upset. Despite knowing that the problem didn’t come from them, overapologizers have this compulsive need to try to diffuse the situation before being able to feel comfortable again.
The signs — One overapologetic behavior would be apologizing for things that the person themselves didn’t do. Situations such as schedule conflicts, apologizing for someone else’s behavior, not carrying cash when it’s needed, etc. Oftentimes, it’s things that the person had no control over or prior knowledge of needing to do that they end up taking responsibility for. Another sign would be saying sorry instead of expressing a need. A good example of this that I personally have lived through would be saying sorry to a partner instead of telling them what it is that I want from them. There was a time that my spouse and their family wanted to go eat at a sushi restaurant. I was the only one who didn’t want to go, but I lied and said I wanted to because I didn’t want to be the reason they didn’t get the food they wanted. I tried to prevent a conflict between them and compromised my own wants to do so.
Likely Causes —Some causes for saying sorry frequently could involve the background of the overapologizer. If they were surrounded by people who were caring and understanding one minute and furious the next, they often have to learn early on how to anticipate the needs of others by minor things such as expressions, tone, hand movement and body language. That could explain the need to want to “diffuse the bomb,” despite not being the cause of it. Trauma is another major factor in apologizing often. A lot of people who experience traumatic events will often blame themselves for it in an attempt to feel in control of the situation. Yet, it can often make the trauma worse and make them perform people-pleasing behavior to feel safe. For people who think less of themselves or have low self-image, feelings of self-resentment can cause them to say sorry for things that often don’t need it. Having low self esteem can also make a person much more likely to be in codependent relationships. Being in a codependent relationship means that the person’s value is tied to their ability to keep the other person in the relationship happy. Taking the blame for whatever conflicts may arise between the two can often be a way to keep the peace to satisfy the other.
Like most problems that we as humans face, the first thing overapologizers need to do is be aware of the issue and try to combat it more. It’s important to become self-aware of how often they say sorry and what situations it tends to come up in more. Try to recognize the feelings that are being felt in that moment and replace the word “sorry” with healthier language. Something I did when coming into work late due to a car issue was apologize for not being on time, despite the fact that I provided a warning and had no control of the situation. Something else I could have said was “thank you for waiting.” Small changes like this can make a big impact on breaking the cycle. Therapy can also be a very good way to combat the action and try to work through what it is that the word “sorry” is replacing. It can be difficult to do, even uncomfortable.
However, I want to remind anyone who reads this that it’s okay to not be perfect. It’s okay to exist and take up space. No one is inconvenient.
A photo of the FedEx logo which shows the hidden arrow in the “Ex.” | Photo from @creatorspark on Instagram
Dec. 3 2025 | Belen Ponce Leal | Lifestyle Editor
One of the greatest shows of all time, in my opinion, is “Gravity Falls.” In the 17th episode of the first season, one of the characters gets brainwashed into staying with her boyfriend by a song. When one of the main characters, Dipper, plays the song backwards, a message is heard: “You are now under my control. Your mind is mine.” It is unknown where the character got the cursed tape, but that nevertheless opened my mind to the idea that some try to put hidden messages into various types of media.
Definition —The word subliminal, according to Oxford Languages, means “below the threshold of sensation or consciousness.” Subliminal messaging is the act of spreading messages or ideas that fall below the threshold of our conscious awareness. In small terms, it’s a method with which someone could communicate an idea in a barely noticeable way. Some think of it as brainwashing, a way to get people to do or crave something that they wouldn’t normally want. It’s most associated with advertisements as companies try to find a way to make their products more appealing in a subtle way.
History —The history of subliminal messaging can be traced back to the 1940s. They were occasionally inserted into radio, film and television. One example of this was back in 1943, in a Looney Tunes cartoon featuring Daffy Duck, the words “BUY BONDS” flashed on screen. At the time, no one knew whether or not these messages would have an influence on the general public or not. They were just thrown into things to see what would happen.
Then, in 1957, a market researcher named James Vicary declared that flashing the words “Eat Popcorn” and “Drink Coca-Cola” in movies for a fraction of a second would generate more sales of these snacks. After a few years, though, he admitted that he lied about the study. That incident led many to be concerned that people could use subliminal messaging in a manipulative way. The next few decades were then spent trying to figure out if subliminal messaging had any effect at all, with many claiming that the effects of it were completely fabricated. Yet, as more time passed, researchers concluded that there is an effect — it is simply much more subtle than previously believed.
The science —In order for a subliminal message to work its way into one’s brain, it is all about perception. Sometimes, a message can be very straightforward without even being noticed by the person witnessing it. Other times, the intention can only be seen after a second look. Subliminal perception is a field that focuses on the thorough examination of how individuals register information that is beneath the threshold of their conscious awareness. This is a difficult thing to study, as it’s hard to observe what people are unconsciously processing in their minds.
For instance, there are some who believe that the McDonald’s logo was carefully designed to be appealing to customers. Yellow is associated with happiness, while the color red is believed to make a person hungry. When thinking about other food chain coloring, it’s notable that many of them have those two colors somewhere in their logos. A much more extreme claim was that the arches of the logo appear like female breasts, which were intended to attract customers in a subtle, sexual way. While I’m unsure if I believe this claim, it is certain I will never look at the golden arches the same way ever again.
According to an article from the Association for Psychological Science, while subliminal influence on the behavior of people seems theoretically possible, it is only “among people who were already motivated to engage in a particular behavior.” During a study conducted by Johan Karremans, Wolfgang Stroebe and Jasper Claus, they found that they were able to influence what kind of drink the people in their study would attempt to get after they were shown various pictures of Lipton Ice. However, they found that the effects mostly worked on those who were already thirsty.
Modern uses —It is no surprise that the main source of subliminal messaging in the modern age is from advertisements. When subliminal messaging was first introduced in certain ads, it was mostly through flashing images for a split second. Yet, this is hardly used anymore, as most agree it doesn’t have very much of an effect on consumers. Fast food chains, grocery stores, factories and even sponsors use even smaller ways to get a message across to a large group of people. A popular example of a subliminal message would be a barely audible message heard in the background of an ad. It could be something as simple as “Buy now” or “This offer is only available for a limited time.” It drives a sense of urgency, which makes individuals more likely to impulse buy. There is also the way that a certain image is designed that can more lightly influence the way a person looks at it. For instance, the Wendy’s logo has what appears to be an “M” at the collar of her dress, which can look a bit like the word “mom.” This is supposed to make the customers think of home and comfort, the days when we used to rely on our mothers to make the home-cooked meals we loved growing up. It’s intended to play on our nostalgia. The FedEx logo is also another good example. If an individual were to look between the letters “E” and “X,” they would be able to notice the small arrow pointing to the right. It implies that they are quick and will get their packages out to their customers fast.
Honestly, it’s a little impressive how our brains are capable of picking up such minuscule things that we don’t process directly. While subliminal messaging can be ethically questionable, the effectiveness of the actual attempts at doing so seems limited. Still, it is important to really study the advertisement and see if it is really a needed purchase. Don’t let the fear of missing out be the reason to impulsively buy something that’s unnecessary.
Dr. Diane Hennacy has been one of a few scientists who have worked to test the theory that non-verbal individuals can use telepathy when communicating with those they’re closest to. Many professionals in the field believe her attempts are futile because she’s trying to prove a pseudoscience — science that isn’t based on the scientific method. In response to this, Hennacy claimed that many individuals around the world have proved telepathy to be true, but the number will never be enough to prove something that is labeled as impossible. Whether this theory is true or not is up for debate, but I’m going to dive into her research and findings.
Hennacy predicted that the group most likely to show signs of telepathy were non-vocal, autistic children with savant — exceptional abilities in memory, music, math or art — skills. She believed that these individuals were highly likely to feel more motivated in finding an alternative method of communication with their caregivers, starting at a very early age. She even argues that telepathy isn’t that much harder to believe than savants themselves, because savants know a multitude of information without any history or exposure to it, something that can also feel impossible. The examples she provides for this include twins who could provide prime numbers up to 20 digits without knowing basic math, and children spontaneously drawing the periodic table without previously being exposed to it.
Families who heard of her work reached out to her because they felt their children were exhibiting signs of telepathy. Hennacy tested three children in the United States from families that reached out, and found results that she felt pointed towards telepathy. She tested each child with randomized words, letters, numbers and pictures, and each child was able to identify them with astoundingly accurate results. While her conclusion is that telepathy, or something similar, must be going on, she acknowledged that her testing protocol was not optimal.
Hennacy’s working theory for how telepathy works has to do with how autistic brains function. When these groups of people engage in cognitive tasks, their cortex is relatively quiet, while that of a neurotypical individual is very loud. Because of this, those with autism are often extremely detail-oriented and able to perceive very subtle changes that a neurotypical person may not catch. Hennacy predicts that if telepathy has anything to do with separating signals from background noise, these individuals’ high sensitivity would make them more likely to experience this. Additionally, savants have high accuracy in sensory perception, and those with autism are often not limited by beliefs about what is possible, while neurotypicals only see what they expect to see.
Another aspect that makes proving her theory difficult is the fact that a lot of these individuals use facilitated communication. This means that, while the child would type out an answer, their parent or someone close to them would be supporting their movements through physical touch. Many skeptics of Hennacy’s theory speculate that these children just have their parents putting in the correct answer, or nudging them in the right direction, since they’re being supported with touch.
One of the individuals Dr. Hennacy tested was a 9-year-old mute and autistic girl named Haley. She does not use facilitated communication, and instead she communicates by pointing to letters and numbers, or by typing into a device called a talker that provides text-to-speech. Initially, Haley’s parents thought she was a math savant because she could solve complicated equations with no prior knowledge. At one point, her therapist gave her an exponential equation, and she typed the answer into her device unprompted. Her therapist had accidentally switched the calculator only the therapist could view to display the answer. Shocked, the therapist asked how Haley knew the answer, and Haley typed, “I see the numerators and denominators in your head.” To follow this, Haley would type in answers to things only her therapist knew, such as her landlord’s name, the exact words her therapist was thinking when looking at a picture that wasn’t visible to her and even novels that her therapist knew word for word, some even in foreign languages.
Bo, an 11-year-old boy, showed similar traits to Haley. His mother said he would often tell her words or numbers that she hadn’t outwardly expressed. Like Haley, Bo could tell the answer to any math equation he was given as long as his mother knew the answer or was looking at the answer. If his mom didn’t know the answer, he could no longer solve the equation. Bo’s ability to correctly say a word or number his mom was thinking of was tested. He received a blindfold and went to the opposite side of the room, facing away from his mother. With these restraints, Bo was tested on 25 different answers 14 times, and ended with an average of 84% correct.
Ramses, a 5-year-old boy with autism, could read seven languages out loud by 2 years old and could solve algebra problems from age 4, both signs of a savant. His mother reported him to Dr. Hennacy as being telepathic with her. Hennacy used a random number generator to test Ramses by generating a number, giving it to his mother in secret, and asking him what the number was. His overall accuracy was 90%.
The scientific method is tried and true, so it can be hard to be open to such a far-out topic that isn’t supported by it yet. Who’s to say, though, that we won’t have the information someday to fully support the idea of telepathy in nonverbal individuals. I believe that furthering scientific advancement involves looking at things that feel impossible, and what feels more impossible than the idea of telepathy?
In February of 1998, a research paper was released linking autism to vaccinations. This paper has long been proven to be false, with multiple factors in the experiment being questionable at best. Unethical decisions and “callous disregard” for the children that participated in the study are just a few reasons why people questioned these findings. Then, 12 years after the paper was released, one of the doctors who worked on this study admitted that several elements of the paper were incorrect. Despite this, there are still a small number of people who wholeheartedly believe these vaccines are harmful.
The definition of a fact, according to Oxford Languages, is “a thing that is known or proved to be true.” Yet, we live in a world where it is getting harder to distinguish what is true and what is partially true. Even with the accessibility of information at our fingertips, there are many who will believe a video they watched on social media to be fact, despite the very real possibility that it may not be true. Or it may have been misconstrued — it may be factually correct, but lacking context. However, after researching this subject, I’ve come to the realization that facts by themselves don’t usually convince people to change the way they think. It’s often tied to emotion and community.
We as humans are a species that needs a semi-accurate understanding of the world in order to live in it comfortably. We are also very social creatures. Since the dawn of the species, humans have traveled in tribes, working together to survive. Accuracy and truth aren’t the only things that are important to the human mind. We also have a desire to belong. Humans have always had the desire to bond and have relationships with others. We want to be people who fit in and have the approval of others. It is difficult to think of a feeling worse than rejection or disapproval by the person you want it from the most.
In a lot of people’s minds, social connection is more helpful to us in our daily lives than it is for us to understand the truth of a certain idea or fact. We sometimes compromise the truth to make ourselves look better to certain people or a certain community. False beliefs might not be useful in a factual sense, but they are in a social one. James Clear, who wrote an article called “Why Facts Don’t Change Our Minds,” calls this way of thinking “factually false, but socially accurate.” When it comes to choosing being right over friends and family, the latter usually wins. This is why we, as people, tolerate things that might offend us. It is why a person will bite their lip and turn away if a family member says something that offends them.
Another thing to consider is motivated reasoning. This is when people go to great lengths to try and persuade others that the facts are incorrect or that sources are unreliable. Humans are hard-wired to have an emotional response faster than our conscious thought. Information that supports a person’s preexisting view on the world or thoughts on a subject will be accepted a lot faster than something that completely contradicts it. A lot of the time, people do this to make themselves feel better about new information that contradicts their beliefs.
That also ties into the misinterpretation of facts. A lot of facts are taken completely out of context to be used to support an argument that the fact wasn’t intended to be used for. Some usually do this, not necessarily to tell the truth, but to “prove” their point of view or attack another.
So, if facts can’t change a person’s worldview, there has to be another way to do it. After all, we are all constantly evolving and changing our beliefs. The best way to change someone’s mind is by giving them a new view of what a community looks like. If someone were to completely abandon their beliefs, they would lose their family and their ties to the community that embraced them. James Clear put it best: “No one wants their worldview torn apart if loneliness is the outcome.”
However, like the vaccine belief, these ideas can hang around for a while. A reason that they do is because people continue to discuss them. Ideas are remembered when repeated — that’s also the only way they can be believed. A person is more likely to believe a crazy concept if it comes from someone they know. The train of thought is usually something along the lines of “I know this person. I like them, I share some beliefs with them, why should I not consider this one too?”
One way to combat this is to let the ideas rest; let them die out and be forgotten. This isn’t to say not to speak up for people who are attacked. However, maybe we as people need to change our strategy in dealing with these situations. Being ignorant is a lot harder to do when the person has friends who think differently than they do. Befriending them and being kind to them is the best way to give someone the opportunity to change their beliefs. As Selena Gomez said, “kill ‘em with kindness.”
There is a legend involving the discovery of coffee and goats. Yes, there is. According to this legend, Kaldi was once a goat herder who noticed that after his goats ate the cherries of a specific tree in the ancient forests of the Ethiopian plateau, they became so hyper that they couldn’t sleep through the night. When Kaldi told the priest of the local monastery about the behavior, they decided to do a makeshift experiment where they turned the berries into a drink. After a few sips, they were saying the prayers with a boost of energy. The reason those cherries made everyone so jumpy was that they contained a lovely little drug most college students are utterly familiar with — caffeine.
Most adults are no strangers to caffeine. On average, 4 out of 5 adults consume it daily, myself included. This drug can be found in a lot of different things naturally, but the most common way people consume it is through drinks. The most popular caffeinated beverages are coffee, tea and energy drinks. While most people know what it is and what it does, most aren’t aware of what is a normal side effect of caffeine and what isn’t. Most view it as a harmless drug, because, for the most part, it is, as long as it is used responsibly. So, let’s dig into what makes the bitter taste so powerful.
The definition —According to WebMD, “caffeine is a natural chemical with stimulant effects.” It increases the activity of the brain and nervous system. Caffeine is closely associated with coffee, as it was isolated from the coffee bean by Ferdinand Runge in 1819. It is also a long-lasting drug, taking 5 to 30 minutes to kick in and staying in the body for up to 12 hours, depending on the person.
Purpose —The main reason everyone consumes caffeine is to increase alertness, enhance athletic performance and improve focus. Some also use it for other purposes like ADHD, asthma, low blood pressure and depression, though WebMD does state that there isn’t a lot of good scientific evidence to support the latter four uses.
Side effects —The effects of the drug can involve increased breathing, elevated heart rate and increased mental alertness as well as a boost in physical energy. It also has some side effects involving digestion and urination. Sometimes, people say that coffee can give them heartburn. A possible reason for that is that caffeine can increase the amount of acid in a person’s stomach. Some scientists theorize that because of the bitter taste that can come with the drug, it could lead to a buildup of acid-forming in the stomach. Caffeine is also a diuretic, which means that the body will want to urinate more when consumed.
Concerning side effects —For the most part, caffeine is safe for the heart for those who don’t have any preexisting heart conditions. It is possible, though, to have had an inordinate amount. Signs that a person has had too much caffeine could be shakiness, agitation, trouble sleeping, a racing heart and dizziness. It’s also possible for headaches, chest pain and severe anxiety to happen. WebMD notes that a 32-ounce energy drink has a much higher ability to give a person abnormally high heart rhythms and blood pressure.
Amount to have —If a person does not have any sort of underlying conditions, the maximum amount of caffeine someone can consume in a day is about 400 milligrams, which is the amount found in four cups of coffee. However, it is notable that energy drinks can contain a lot more caffeine. According to the Food and Drug Administration, energy drinks typically have 41 to 246 milligrams per can. My energy drink of choice is typically Red Bull. Lately, though, I have been drinking Monster since most people I know have them regularly. I haven’t really liked the taste of it, but I noticed that the drink caused me to feel off. My heart rate increased a lot, my hands were twitching and my chest would occasionally hurt. I found out that there is quite a difference between the two. A 16-ounce Red Bull, on average, contains 136 milligrams of caffeine while a 16-ounce Monster Energy drink has 160 milligrams. Granted, the difference is only 24 milligrams, but it was enough to affect me.
Who shouldn’t have it —Anyone who has any preexisting health conditions or is under the age of 18 could suffer serious health conditions or even death from having too much caffeine. Pregnant women are able to drink it as long as they don’t go over 300 milligrams. Caffeine can pass into breast milk, so limitations while breastfeeding are recommended.
Extreme cases — In 2023, Matthew Patrick, known more commonly as MatPat, made a video called “This Lemonade Could Kill You (Panera),” where he discussed a viral TikTok posted by user @sarachebaus. In her video, she discusses being unaware of how much caffeine is in a now-discontinued product served by Panera known as the “charged lemonade.”
The 20-ounce drink had 260 milligrams of caffeine in it, while the large size had 390 milligrams, which is only 10 milligrams away from being the recommended limit of a person’s daily caffeine intake. She also noted that she drank 4 or 5 of them a day, which would have been the equivalent of 11 Red Bulls, according to MatPat. Both he and @sarachebaus criticized Panera for the lack of any disclaimers of how much caffeine these drinks contained. Despite these drinks having way more of this drug than a typical energy drink, they were not labeled as such. They were only called “charged lemonades” and had in tiny lettering underneath the sign the amount of caffeine in a 20-ounce and a 30-ounce. MatPat then spoke about how potentially dangerous these drinks could be to those with preexisting heart conditions. As it turned out, he was right.
In September of 2022, a 21-year-old University of Pennsylvania student named Sarah Katz went into cardiac arrest shortly after having one of these drinks and passed away. According to USA Today, her family had sued Panera, explaining that she had a heart condition and would explicitly avoid any drinks that had caffeine in them. They accused Panera of being misleading in the marketing, as well as failure to provide labeling that better warned that these drinks were dangerous to those who had underlying health conditions. Another person, 46-year-old Dennis Brown, died from cardiac arrest in October of 2023 after drinking three charged lemonades. His family also sued Panera, explaining that he had high blood pressure and never consumed energy drinks.
Caffeine is a drug. Like any drug, people can become dependent on it. Withdrawal symptoms typically include crankiness, headaches, sweating, anxiety, fatigue and in some cases, muscle pain. Withdrawal can begin within 12 to 14 hours from the last sip taken and can last up to a week. It’s possible to break the dependence by steadily reducing the amount of caffeine being consumed. This gives the body time to adjust to being able to function without depending so much on the drug. So, be mindful of how much is consumed.
The United States is known for its diverse communities. Despite the problems and deep-rooted racism that encompass the history of this country, the U.S. is full of people from different cultures and backgrounds. According to an article from the National Library of Medicine, over 50% of the population is part of minority ethnic groups. Immigrants move here to provide better lives for their families and bring with them their own cultures. Their values, beliefs and ways of life are all varied. As human beings, we tend to fear what we don’t understand, thus many from versatile styles of living often feel out of place in their new communities. However, fitting in is honestly overrated and I thought it would be interesting to delve deeper into the benefits of diversity. The environments we come from have a major influence on the way we view the world. Some cultures view loyalty as the most important virtue someone can have. Others think that the truth is the most valuable. Neither way of thinking is wrong — it is merely a difference in a person’s beliefs. However, these differences in a person’s way of life can provide new ideas that others would not have thought of. If everyone had the exact same way of thinking, humanity would not advance. This is why companies are often on the lookout for people who are not from the average population. People who stand out are those who think differently and experience unique ways of reasoning. Without coming up with new ideas, everything would stay the same. Technology wouldn’t exist, companies wouldn’t succeed and if there is anything that is true about our world, it is that it is constantly evolving. Based on an article published by the Hult International Business School, the uncertainty and constant change in the global business environment make it important to be adaptable. If there is anything true about people who come from different places in the world, chances are that they are willing to withstand how drastic the changes can be. It is because of the difference in values and beliefs that oftentimes those who come from different backgrounds can find success in using that knowledge to their advantage. For instance, bilingual people often make more money as they are able to reach out to more people who may not speak the same language. Not only does it benefit them, it benefits other people who might not know how to speak English and need assistance for doctor’s appointments, driving tests, important news announcements and much more. This way of thinking does not only apply to translators, though. Different cultures with different priorities will want to create products aimed at distinct people, such as restaurants that offer culture-specific food, whether it be soul food, Mexican food, Chinese food, Filipino food or another cuisine. Some could think of it like having a spy on the inside, someone who understands who the target audience is and can offer advice as to what appeals to them. Being diverse can also promote personal growth. According to the Steps4Change organization, having new experiences gives us the opportunity to explore outside our comfort zone, which can enhance our learning and develop a sense of personal growth. Everyone has different ideas of what “normal” is. Some can view being different as a weakness, yet in reality, it’s an irreplaceable strength that can provide more empathy with people who think differently than them. Those with more variety in their lives are more likely to be empathetic and resilient in the way they conduct themselves. According to Sean DallasKidd, a Forbes Councils member, “Research is the gateway to imagination.” It improves the likelihood of more imaginative and impactful storytelling in works, whether it be at work or in school. Being a diverse individual can mean much more than simply coming from a different place or being a different gender. There’s also something known as cognitive diversity. The definition for this topic involves the way we think. Some approach an assignment with the thought of getting it done immediately after the lecture, as they want the information to be as fresh as possible. Others prefer to do it later, not just because of procrastination reasons, but because they want time to process the information they learned. It’s why some can have very different interpretations of stories. Some may think that Meredith and Derek, the couple from “Grey’s Anatomy,” are a good representation of true love and can pose a good argument for their reasoning. Others believe that they were terrible for each other and give several examples of their toxicity. Neither interpretation is wrong per se, but each has a strong argument for their way of thinking. Being a diverse person is an exciting thing. It makes someone much more relatable and more unique. Creativity is higher and diversity is being more sought out in the modern day, as uncertainty in businesses means needing more unique ways to come up with ideas to stay in the market. Some of the biggest problems in the world have been solved by tackling a problem in an unusual way. Vaccines were created by using the sickness that was killing people as a way to immunize themselves from it. The most unbelievable circumstances can end up being the solution to a major problem.
A photo of the window in the cabin with a traditional Sri Lanka Buddha outside. | Photo by Hannah Field
Nov 5. 2025 | Hannah Field | Editor-in-Chief
Names have been changed in this story to protect the privacy of those involved.
Wellness tourism: one of the most profitable self-care industries out there, relying on people who travel to experience varied retreats, getaways and programs to better their physical, mental or spiritual health. Most spiritual retreats indulge in various religious practices, meditation, yoga or other exercises, often claiming to build one’s spiritual toolkit — whatever that really means. Forbes estimates an industry worth of $1.2 trillion by 2028.
Be it a healthy dose of ayahuasca, glamping or straight-up mushrooms in the woods, people are obviously investing a lot of money into this practice and doing so with glee. Certainly, some demographics are targeted more than others — advertising meditation retreats and psychic channeling training tends to not appeal to the young and elderly, skipping a lot of the chronically online and offline crowds. The perfect victim of wellness tourism? Well, it’s what one would expect: white, millennial American women with money.
Whether they’re seeking out a spiritual grounding, trying to get away from the hustle of life, shape their mental fortitudes or merely attending a group retreat due to an obligation from work or friends, white women are generally at the forefront of these “spiritual retreats” advertised online. It seems that there’s this urge for women, usually moms, to seek out an outside source of healing and power, making a grounding getaway the only apparent option to establish an independent identity, separate from kids, husbands and work, and build a spiritual, psychic, intuitive skillset.
Up until now, I’ve avoided even glancing in the direction of spiritual retreats, but last fall I was invited to attend an all-women’s one-day workshop with an interesting tagline that left me zero information: “You Know What To Do.” In tiny letters beneath it, “Reclaiming Your Inner Authority.” And I, fully thinking that spiritual retreats were a complete and utter scam, could not bring myself to decline. Spoiler alert: I still think they’re a scam. I do think, however, there’s a lot more to them than I previously expected.
The first thing that stuck out to me was how little I could find out about this particular event. The first email I got simply welcomed me and stated more information was coming soon; the second told me to dress comfortably, bring water and where to show up; the third email was about the founder, Australian woman Marli-Rae Bennett, stressing over her son’s incoming driving test. At this point, I realized I had a long road of newsletters ahead of me.
The morning of was cold and foggy. I was earlier than the rest to the cabin, placed on the mountainside overlooking Glenwood Springs, CO, amidst over 100 acres of untouched land. I learned very quickly that I was a peculiar addition to the group, the only one under 35. There were about ten of us in total, seven of which were customers. The majority of us were from other states, with one woman from Alaska, and worked varied careers, a sex therapist included.
Bennett banged a gong to begin the ceremony, which was when I knew I hadn’t prepared myself adequately for what was to come. Bennett and her accomplice burned some white sage, rang multiple brass instruments over us, including a golden chalice, calling it “energetic preparation.”
We were instructed to feel and honor our bodies, straightening our spines and feeling our breath, holding our prayer beads that come from India. Bennett started a mantra in another language, which everyone seemed to know except me and which climbed in volume until everyone was cheering and whooping, until it fell short to a whisper at the end. I found it confusing and uncomfortable, and in practice felt like the middle point between a small-town youth group session and an improv class.
Following that, we “sweat our prayers,” where we held out our hands for 11 minutes and focused on our breathing. Bennett would interject occasionally with a powerful tone, saying various phrases such as “You are never alone”; “Every woman is not here by accident”; “Feel the divine feminine” and so forth. It felt a little closer to a Pilates class I took once than a spiritual retreat, considering I had no clue who we were praying to specifically, but lots of words slipped past me, such as “the Mother,” to give me some clue.
We were told to journal our intentions in one word and then share them, of which I said “to learn,” because that was the truth, and I was going to try my best to indulge. I wrote later, “We honor the body and our ‘divinity.’ We honor the ancestors. … The space is ‘sacred.’”
We felt our chakras, felt our hearts and dabbed tea tree oil behind our ears while we listened to the drums. Bennett told us to “walk in the authority of Mother Earth,” which was a nice notion, but throughout the whole session, I was never sure what any of it actually meant for me moving forward.
After our snack break — which I did not participate in nor enjoy, because it was all nut salads and beets, which I really should have anticipated — we, to my dismay, were leaving the cabin.
Turns out, half a mile away was a medicine wheel, which was described to me as an energy portal that operates somewhat like a Ouija board, and must be opened and closed, as well as respected. Upon further research, the medicine wheel is a sacred indigenous symbol representative of all knowledge, and one of the women was a stewardess and trained in the practices. I should mention the presence of a Native American woman well-involved in the culture as well.
I will admit, at the time, I was bewildered. It was raining and cold outside, and more than half of the women decided to march with their shoes off in order to be grounded better. I had never heard of an energy portal, especially considering it just looked to me like a bunch of rocks on the ground that I had to march toward in my foul mood, wet and everything. Since then, I’ve looked into the practice, at least enough to understand how it functions for the communities that rely on it. To summarize, we silently and I drearily trekked to the medicine wheel, entered it and walked clockwise, picked a direction and listened and felt through the ground. We prayed, which, might I clarify, is not a problem in any way other than I’m not culturally involved with indigenous people, nor am I spiritual in much of a way that would cause this to entice me, so it felt almost worse participating at all than just sitting out. I’m not sure how the other women felt about it, but they seemed to enjoy the practice, discussing later what directions called to them and how nice it felt to be out in nature.
If it’s any indication of how I felt about it, I wrote: “They want me to journal. I’ve been here four hours, got soaked, ate none of the healthy snacks, and I want desperately to take a nap.”
Back inside, we had a really awkward closed-eyes dancing session, with Bennett declaring that my hips were “holding energy.” We had to shake profusely as if our arms were pool noodles to loosen supposed tension.
At one point, a woman participating asked me if I had ever experienced this before, and when I said no, she said I was very lucky and that if she could go back and start these retreats earlier, she would. According to her, she had once seen a group of women in nature while hiking, singing and barefoot, and had ever since wanted to be a part of whatever she had seen, leading her here.
Our last practice was an honest and vulnerable one where each woman was instructed to share their personal messages from their heart. Internal feelings of shame, guilt and insecurity rose to the surface as each individual dished their deepest thoughts about themselves. “I feel like we need a big group hug,” said one woman at the end, which, whenever someone says that, I’m pretty sure it’s law that one has to happen, and thus concluded my seven-hour wellness retreat and cultural hodgepodge.
Marli-Rae Bennett was immediately painted to me as a pioneer of a spiritualification culture of sorts, which, no, that’s not a real word, but I used it anyway. She leads spiritual retreats for women all across the world, claiming she can help them unlock their deeper purpose, identifying the “holy feminine” and “holy masculine.” To quote one newsletter I saw, “Evolve your personal relationship with the language of cosmos … enhance every aspect of your life, and contribute to the greater collective good” — which I think sums up the whole selling point.
I think there’s a lot of incredibly valid criticism to this kind of pushy sales tactics; Bennett uses vague buzz words without clarity to pull in vulnerable consumers. Like, of course, we want to “lead, create and serve from the harmonised centre of unity consciousness.” But what does that really mean? Oh, yeah, it means dropping nearly $4,000, finding somewhere to stay in an expensive tourist town and spending all day, or sometimes multiple days, learning from Bennett, who personally told me she graduated with a degree in creative writing. On her website, she claims to have completed a doctorate in magical realism at the University of Melbourne, which is incredibly misleading because that degree itself is not a thing. What most likely happened is that Bennett has an arts or humanities PhD, with the doctorate itself specializing in the application of magical realism in theatre considering her background. I consider that to be a phony play to win the game of credentials against women who feel lost and crave stability and community, goading them into purchasing her services due to her education. Having said that, a PhD is a PhD, and I can respect the grind.
OK, maybe I’m being too harsh here, because I actually did like Bennett as a person. She had an infectious personality, a bubbly laugh and stood for a lot of things I do too, such as loud women, rejecting obedience, pursuing true passions and self-reflection. It just has to be said that I ponder the morality of the business model, which I only feel stronger about after the fact — simultaneously, however, I feel a little torn on the customer base.
Thinking about it beforehand, I had fallen headfirst into the “oh, those millennial white women again” trope I see everywhere now. If they have the money for a spiritual retreat to try to solve their problems, why not attend therapy instead? Why spend their time piggybacking off of indigenous practices, pretending they know anything about the different communities they’re hijacking spirituality from? And, don’t get me wrong, that’s a whole separate problem of privilege and cultural appropriation, one that I am much less qualified to speak on.
Yet, when I was actually present with those women, watching them cry and listen to them yell and bond, I couldn’t help but empathize. They spent their own money and took the time to fly to Colorado for this event because it was what they not only wanted to do, but felt like they needed to do. There’s some release in this for them, some pressure building of societal expectations and home lives and stressors I do not have myself, that is let go when they’re around like-minded women.
Some of these women were truly struggling. They felt lonely, unheard, unloved; multiple of them claimed they felt they weren’t beautiful or worthy of love during vulnerable moments where we were made to share some of our deeper thoughts. One shared very personal anecdotes of her mother’s abuse; another sobbed when discussing how her family’s dynamics changed drastically toward her after her brother was put in prison.
It begs the larger question, not of “Should these women be spending their money on this?” but rather, “What is so wrong with our society that women feel that this is the only way to heal?”
On the other end, some of these women were there out of pure enjoyment, indulging in the drums and singing along, barefoot in nature. There are a lot of worse things we could be paying for, like fast food or Botox or something.
In a way, I think Marli-Rae Bennett herself is reliving pain through these retreats. I saw her shed tears like the rest, and it should speak at least a little bit to her character. I find it hard to believe her intentions are malicious. I just wonder if this is something that actually works for people or not, if women feel better in the long run, but I did see a match strike in a circle of women who just needed someone to listen and understand.
Ultimately, would I ever tell anybody what to do with their time and money? Absolutely not. This was simply not my cup of tea. If a woman is craving a spiritual getaway with other women who believe in the same universal magic, then I think this is a wonderful opportunity for them to connect and grow. But any spiritual workshops with such a hefty entry fee call me to question the integrity of the intuitive leader, who wrote after our session in a letter, “I trust the Mother Goddess. This seemingly subtle shift has moved me from doubt and worry to a deep and abiding sense of ease, soul nourishment and safety in my being, and trust in the Divine,” which transitioned into, “If you want to make this subconscious shift for yourself … scroll down for more insight into creating the sacrament of marriage within your own being.”
A photo of the Fruit of the Loom logo with and without the Mandela effect. | Photo from @sosupernaturalpod on Instagram
Nov 5 2025 | Abbi Duhart | News Editor
Coined by Fiona Broome, the Mandela effect is a phenomenon that many people experience, whether they realize it or not, in which they have faulty memories of a certain person, character, event or anything similar. Each faulty detail is often experienced by a multitude of people, making the effect seem that much more mysterious and odd. Broome created the term “Mandela effect” when she discovered that she, along with many others, believed that Nelson Mandela died in the 1980s when he in fact died in 2013. She was shocked that so many people remembered a key historic event falsely and thus put a name to the phenomenon.
A common occurrence of the Mandela effect that many encounter is centered around Disney’s well-known character Tinker Bell. Many people, including myself, remember in the old Disney movie era how Tinker Bell would come out at the beginning of VCR movies when they show the Disney castle logo and would circle around the castle and tap the top of the “I.” Supposedly, this never actually happened and, instead, there was only a white half circle that went around the castle, with Tinker Bell never actually showing up. However, many Disney fans speculated about this and tried to dig up old Disney VCRs and DVDs, with some allegedly proving that Tinker Bell did, in fact, appear. Whether she actually appeared or not is still up for debate.
Those who are familiar with “Star Wars” often recall what is argued to be the most famous line in the franchise: “Luke, I am your father.” What if I said that this was never actually Darth Vader’s famous line? In “The Empire Strikes Back,” the line that Darth Vader actually says to Luke is “No, I am your father.” Many fans distinctly remember the use of Luke’s name in this line as Vader is talking to Luke, and the line is quoted this way by fans and non-fans alike. In the same vein, many Disney fans remember the famous line from the Evil Queen in “Snow White” being “Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest one of all?” The correct line spoken in the original “Snow White” is in fact “Magic mirror on the wall, who is the fairest one of all?” Many people recall the use of “mirror, mirror” even though the Evil Queen never said this.
Another common Disney Mandela effect happens when recalling the original Mickey Mouse. When thinking about the clothes that he wears, many remember his shorts with buttons having suspenders. If fans go back and look, though, they’ll find that Mickey Mouse does not actually have suspenders, he only wears the shorts with buttons.
Those who read or watched it as a kid may recall the popular children’s show about Mama and Papa Bear as they raise their two bear cubs in Bear Country. But what comes to mind when prompted to spell out the name of this show? The correct spelling is “The Berenstain Bears,” even though many recall it being spelled as “Berenstein.”
Video game fans aren’t immune to the Mandela effect either. Those who spent their childhood playing “Pokémon” games or collecting Pokémon cards commonly argue about the appearance of the famous Pokémon Pikachu. Some fans recall his unique zig-zag tail having a black tip at the top, while some recall the black section of his tail being at the bottom. Fans who recall the black section being at the tip of his tail have fallen victim to the Mandela effect, because Pikachu does not have any black at the end of his tail.
When thinking about the show “Scooby-Doo,” people also often remember the character Shaggy as having a distinct Adam’s apple in his appearance. This characteristic often stands out to fans too because Shaggy is seen eating food a lot, making his Adam’s apple very clear. Shaggy also gulped a lot in the show out of fear, something that is believed to also feature his Adam’s apple. Yet, if we go back to view Scooby Doo, Shaggy doesn’t actually have an Adam’s apple at all. He does have the bulge when he swallows or gulps, so it is theorized that fans are just remembering this.
The Mandela effect is known as a phenomenon for a reason, but there are a few differing theories for why it occurs. One explanation is false memories. When we recall something that happened a while ago — more so the further back we go — our brains can set off neurons that are connected to other memories and details, potentially causing us to remember something incorrectly. Similarly, confabulation may happen, meaning that our brain subconsciously fills in gaps for things we don’t quite remember. Human brains try to make sense of this lapse of knowledge by filling in a reasonable explanation, even if we don’t realize it’s false. Our brains can also subconsciously change a past memory based on what we encounter after it. For example, perhaps the reason many people remember Tinker Bell at the beginning of Disney movies is because something similar occurred at a later date with something that was related. The fact that our brains do this also contributes to the fact that eyewitness testimonies are not always reliable.
A more unusual theory that some have surrounding the Mandela effect is alternate realities. In this theory, the individuals who make up the group believing that each instance of the Mandela effect happened are all from an alternate reality in which that version of the event is actually true. So, in the Tinker Bell Mandela effect, everyone who remembers Tinker Bell in the Disney intro somehow entered a different timeline in which Tinkerbell actually did appear.
No matter if someone has experienced the Mandela effect for themself, it can be interesting to think about why this phenomenon occurs in the first place. It can be easy to write it off as a coincidence if a couple of people experience each event, but large groups of people all report remembering the same false events. As humans, we naturally try to find reasonable explanations, but perhaps some things just can’t be explained.
A photo of a gaming setup with the game “Stardew Valley” on the screen. | Photo from @mysleepylifestyle on Instagram
Nov 5. 2025 | Belen Ponce Leal | Lifestyle Editor
Video games have experienced a tremendous amount of growth throughout the years. During the coronavirus pandemic, many used video games as a way to connect with others for relaxation and social interaction. Not only did the games provide temporary escape from world issues at the time, but they also helped connect people to their friends and family in a way that was safe. Now that the world is somewhat back to normal in the sense that we can be around each other more, the gaming industry still continues to grow and develop. In 2021, the World Health Organization initiated discussions on how gaming can affect mental health. For years, most have believed that video games were detrimental to one’s psyche. While they can be like any form of addiction, some studies have found some positives to gaming. According to an article written in 2014, published by Radboud University, certain cognitive skills can be developed by playing games that involve fast reflexes and aim. They include accurate attention allocation, high spatial resolution, better visual processing and enhanced mental rotation abilities. They also found that gamers have a significant increase in spatial skills in particular, which have been linked to higher achievement in science, technology, engineering and mathematics skills. It is important to note, however, that most of those developments were seen from first-person shooters, which are one of the most popular types of games in the modern day. Games can also influence problem-solving skills, which can apply to almost every genre of video games. Most games require the player to get from point A to point B, which is where the gameplay comes from. It could vary from shooting enemies to get the door to unlock, solving a puzzle or even just exploring the area to find out where to trigger a cutscene. An action as simple as that can develop someone’s ability to navigate situations better. Yet, like all things in life, having too much of something can be bad for one’s health. Because video games can be so engaging and feel as if whatever’s happening on the screen is happening to the person in real life, the issues felt in the game can feel a little too real. This isn’t always a bad thing, especially when the game can make someone feel immense joy. However, when experiencing too much of a life-threatening situation, it can add stress to a person’s mind and change the way they think. According to the Mayo Clinic Health System, excessive gaming has also been linked to health struggles like obesity, insomnia, eye strain, anxiety, depression and difficulties with other commitments like school or work. Hyperarousal can also occur with too much concentration on the screen. Hyperarousal can appear differently in different types of people, but usually involves struggles with the mind’s ability to process information. Paying attention can be difficult, and impulses may be harder to control, following directions is more challenging and some can have decreased interest in other activities. It is notable, though, that having fun has tremendous effects on the brain. According to the National Institute for Play, playing a game, whether it be on the field or on the screen, can help adults deal with stress and can promote the release of endorphins in the brain, which brings down stress-inducing cortisol levels. It can soothe the mind’s both wonderful and frustrating ability to think too much. With the stress of adult life, including problems like bills, jobs and school, we as young adults need to plan when we are allowed to take a leisurely break from it all, and gaming is a great way to do it. Some enjoy gaming to have a sense of control over a difficult time in their lives. Many gamers describe an experience that happens when completely immersed in a game, simultaneously providing a high sense of control and a loss of self-consciousness. Anyone who has ever played a game to completion will often have a look of pride on their face. The satisfaction one can get from completing a really hard level or winning a difficult boss fight will always be fulfilling. The Entertainment Software Association created a survey known as Power of Play, which came out earlier this year. 24,000 people aged 16 or above all answered questions to study the perspective of video games globally, spanning 6 continents. The findings in the survey showed not only that there is a nearly even gender split in the players, 48% women and 51% men, it also reported that 66% of gamers do it for fun, while the rest do it for stress-relieving purposes or to keep their mind sharp and give their brain a workout. It is important to keep in mind that gaming can become an addiction. The reason why it occurs is similar to other various addictions like alcohol or tobacco. The reward part of the brain releases dopamine in response to an action that triggers it. If a person does the action enough times, whether it be picking up a bottle or a controller, the brain begins to associate the activity with the release of dopamine. Then, the person with the problem gains a strong craving to find that pleasure over and over again. If there is certainty in anything, it is that the gaming industry is continuing to grow. According to the International Trade Administration, the gaming industry made nearly $66 billion in 2023. Over 190 million Americans play video games, with 78% of households having at least one gaming device. It can be a struggle to find a balance between having a healthy hobby or a potentially damaging problem. Some potential ideas to keep in mind when gaming would be to consider playing the same way that most sports rules operate. Be respectful, be kind, be involved and be reasonable, both with the time spent on the activity and the way someone goes about having fun.
The logo for The Ehlers-Danlos Society, a non-profit organization dedicated to serving people with EDS. | Photo from @ehlers.danlos on Instagram
Nov. 5 2025 | Jaylin Emond-Hardin | Entertainment Editor
In the United States, one in four adults lives with a disability that affects aspects of their daily lives. That’s 61 million adults. This statistic includes both visible and non-apparent disabilities — which have also been known as “invisible” or “hidden” disabilities — but both forms can have overlapping effects.
I am somebody who has a non-apparent disability. I prefer to use the term “invisible” because most people wouldn’t be able to look at me and tell, as is the case with most people who have a non-apparent disability. After all, I play rugby, I’m on my feet all day for teaching and, unless I’m complaining about how I’m feeling, nobody knows about my chronic pain.
I have hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, or hEDS. My body doesn’t make enough collagen to support my connective tissues. As a result, my joints constantly ache, are weaker and can hyperextend past what most people would consider typical. I sometimes call my hypermobility my “party trick.” It gives it a more positive spin on things.
Globally, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome is rare — only 1 in 5,000 adults have it — and is a genetic disability that’s passed through generations. There are at least 20 gene variants in total that cause Ehlers-Danlos.
I don’t use mobility aids, though others who have hEDS can use canes, walkers or wheelchairs to remove strain from their joints. I do, however, rely on braces and supportive tape wraps. For rugby, I wear a compression sleeve and ankle brace. I tape my fingers and wrists when they jam, something which is unfortunately common.
People with unapparent disabilities often face problems socially because they “don’t look disabled.” I can’t even begin to count how many times I have heard that. Because we don’t look like what people have in their heads for members of the disabled community, we are less likely to be believed. When we advocate for ourselves, we are more likely to be dismissed because our pains and struggles are not outwardly visible.
For Western students, Disability Access Services is available as a resource. The department provides students with accommodations for whatever they need — whether it’s for academics, interpreting services or advocacy — and tailors it to an individual’s needs. For every activity on campus that a club, organization or department hosts, DAS will provide accommodations for students.
Anyone, whether or not they are a part of DAS, can advocate for people with disabilities — both visible and unapparent. This allyship is important because it helps create a more inclusive and equitable environment where everyone feels valued and supported.
By challenging barriers, amplifying disabled voices and promoting accessibility, allies play a key role in ensuring that people with disabilities can fully participate in all aspects of life. True inclusion requires collective effort and advocacy from all of us helps move our communities toward understanding, respect and lasting change.
And please, when someone says something about what they need from others to avoid discomfort or injury, listen to them. Listening to disabled people about what they know they need is the most important thing.
Graphic of flip phone | Graphic made by Addison Watts
Nov 5 2025 | Kiera Roedel | Copy Editor
Stop me if this sounds familiar: it’s late at night and there are assignments that need to get done, but it’s impossible to put down the smartphone. This type of situation is all too common for college students, prompting questions about social media addiction and the need to do a “digital detox.” While some people simply set screen-time limits on their phones and stay mindful of the time they spend scrolling, a growing number — including myself — have taken the next step: going back to a time before smartphones.
The “dumbphone” trend has been gaining prevalence online over the past couple of years, mostly due to its nostalgic or aesthetic value. But dumbphones, defined as cell phones without easy access to an app store or modern web-based apps, have legitimate utility as a means to get off social media and spend more time living in the real world.
I’ve spent over a year using a flip phone as my main device. It has access to the following functions: calling, texting, a two-megapixel — yes, two — camera, an MP3 player and some basic utilities like a calculator and calendar. It also has a simple web browser that’s too slow and outdated to even load the front page of Reddit. And that’s literally it. No Instagram, no TikTok, no DoorDash, no Google Maps, no Spotify and no way to download or access any of those services. The vast reduction in available apps and connectivity is definitely an adjustment.
Regardless, there are some notable advantages to using a dumbphone. For one, it’s apparent immediately upon switching just how much time people spend on their phones. In the time between classes, in the library, at meals — it feels like nobody even bothers to look up. Recapturing those lost minutes declutters my brain and is very refreshing.
Second is the nostalgic or aesthetic value that I mentioned. I won’t lie — I didn’t initially switch to a flip phone because I felt the need to digitally detox. It was because I felt nostalgia for the time when “cell phone” meant a weird plastic trinket that people could fiddle with in bizarre ways to expose extra screens and keyboards. Using a flip phone nowadays allows me to recapture a little bit of that feeling.
A third benefit is the cost. In a time when a new iPhone or top-of-the-line Samsung can easily run over $800, being able to pick up a flip phone from a department store for under $50 is a breath of fresh air. Mine cost $19.99 from Tracfone, and I’m still using it a year and a half later. That’s just an objectively good deal.
Not everything is sunshine and rainbows in the dumbphone world. For one thing, missing out on things that people have come to consider basic utilities, like Google Maps, really stings. It can be seen as another part of the package — learning to navigate alone or by paper map is, in a sense, just another part of the digital detox. And some app-based services have alternatives, like the fact that anyone can call a phone number to get an Uber, no app required.
I haven’t totally gotten rid of my smartphone. I still use it for things like my D&D character sheet and for when I need to take a picture that isn’t insufferably — yet aesthetically — grainy. But the opportunity to leave that toxic glass brick in a drawer where it belongs the majority of the time is a truly eye-opening experience.
A photo of Burgerville’s Vampire Slayer Cheeseburger and sweet potato fries. | Photo by Belen Ponce Leal
Oct 29 2025 | Belen Ponce Leal | Lifestyle Editor
It’s always interesting to see what kind of menus companies can come up with for a spooky season. Whether it be dyed foods designed to look like pumpkins, sweet ice cream treats with candy bits in them or some locally sourced ingredients used creatively, there is no end to the trend. I thought it would be interesting to discover what kind of spooky-themed foods to try out before the end of the month.
Burger King is well known for their advertising of their special limited-time menus. Right now, they have what they call the “monster menu.” The main staple of the menu is the Jack-O’-Lantern Whopper. It is a version of their famous Whopper burger with a “naturally colored orange bun” with black sesame seeds. While it does have a festive appearance, it has been described by many as tasting basically the same as a regular Whopper burger. Some other items they are selling are Vampire Nuggets, Mummy Mozzarella Fries, the Franken-Candy Sundae and, at certain locations, a trick-or-treat basket.
At the moment, McDonald’s might not have much of a Halloween menu as they are currently focused on their Monopoly-themed one, but the Boo Buckets have returned once again. During October, McDonald’s will give out Happy Meals in what is called a Boo Bucket. They are plastic containers that can double as trick-or-treat buckets. The classic designs have returned, which are the ghost, pumpkin and goblin. However, there are two new additions to the roster this year, which are a black cat and a zombie bucket.
IHOP has come out with some delicious pancake flavors for the season. Obviously, the pumpkin spice pancakes have returned, with the option to make them a short or full stack. They have been described as tasting very good, soft and buttery. The item that I find the most interesting and most delicious is the coffee cake pancakes. Made with cinnamon streusel, cinnamon spread layering and cream cheese icing, these coffee cake pancakes have a delicious crumbly texture.
Burgerville is known throughout Monmouth for being a great place to eat, as it prides itself on locally sourcing its ingredients. All their food is fresh and delicious throughout the year.
Their seasonal menu is composed of their pumpkin shake, apple crumble sundae, harvest cider iced tea, sweet potato fries and, their star of the menu, the Vampire Slayer Cheeseburger. This burger, along with all of their others, has a pasture-raised natural beef patty. The cheese on the burger is called Face Rock Vampire Slayer Cheddar, which is cheddar with a strong dose of garlic in it. That, combined with arugula, which is a leafy green vegetable with a sort of peppery, nutty flavor, makes the burger a fantastic mix of various flavors.
Every restaurant has a different strength, whether it be in design or flavor. I love how every year Burger King can come up with a menu that looks amazing, and even though it doesn’t taste very different, it is at least aesthetically pleasing. I also enjoy how Burgerville can come up with some amazing combinations of flavors in their burger while still being naturally sourced. While not all seasonal food is created equal, it is always endearing to see what companies can come up with to create delicious and good-looking cuisine.
A photo of the entrance to Salem’s Grand Theatre | Photo from @salemhistoricgrandtheatre on Instagram
Oct 29 2025 | Abbi Duhart | News Editor
No matter one’s preferences between cozy, community-centered Halloween events or scary, chilling adventures, there is sure to be a local Halloween event happening that is going to scratch that itch. While there is much more to explore in the area, I’ve compiled a list of note-worthy Halloween events that I encourage both autumn lovers and spooky enthusiasts alike to give a try.
Halloween Spooktacular —A big local event happening in Monmouth that many locals enjoy is the Halloween Spooktacular. This fun experience takes place Oct. 31 and begins at 4 p.m. at Main Street Park. Businesses around downtown Monmouth will be open for trick-or-treaters, and the park will have various goodies and activities set up. Businesses will also have pop-up booths along Main Street Park where they will be handing out various treats. There will also be a photo booth; residents are encouraged to dress up in their Halloween costumes and take some fun pictures. Students at Western can also find a photo booth with Wolfie to take pictures with him in their costumes. This event is completely free and open to the public.
Dia De Los Muertos — During the Halloween Spooktacular event, residents can also stop by Monmouth Senior Center for Dia De Los Muertos, including various multicultural festivities. This event will have Halloween snacks, candy, arts and crafts and Mexican hot chocolate. They will also have a community ofrenda — a memorial table — set up. Anyone from the community is welcome to contribute to the table by placing special items to remember and pay homage to deceased loved ones.
Ghost of the Grand — Those seeking more of a haunted feel to their Halloween celebration may love the Ghost of the Grand tour. This event takes place at the Grand Theatre in Salem and consists of a tour through the theatre’s main stage, the initiation room and the basement. This isn’t just a normal ghost tour though; they combine theatre and ghostly haunting to create an interactive experience that allows participants to go in search of G.H.O.S.T. — a mysterious and dangerous cult that was driven underground after last year’s tours. Audience members will actively make choices that seal their fate in this event. Happening through Nov. 1, general admission for this event costs $24.95. The Grand Theatre is known as one of the most haunted places in Salem. Participants often report sensing a ghostly presence, whether it be a gentle breeze or a shadow lurking out of sight, so consumers of the paranormal will love visiting this theatre.
Halloween Scavenger Hunt — Powered by Questo, those who seek a fun, interactive event for a large group will love this Halloween Scavenger Hunt in Salem. Starting Oct. 30 and running through Nov. 2, participants who sign up will access the scavenger hunt through the Questo app and travel around Salem exploring haunted areas, tracking ghosts and solving puzzles. Great for those who love a challenge, participants will compete to find clues and finish first, and can even win fun prizes. There will also be a costume contest, so make sure to wear fun costumes. Questo promises that frightening dialogue, bone-chilling intrigue and petrifying twists are in store for those who sign up.
Just a short trip away, these are some of the intriguing and fun Halloween events to look forward to at the end of October. I believe there’s something out there for everyone to enjoy this time of year, even if none of these events sound that interesting. I encourage all to go out and try something new, because, chances are, there’s a lot of fun in doing so.
A photo of Halloween yard decorations. | Photo from @halloweenperfection on Instagram
Oct 29, 2025 | Belen Ponce Leal | Lifestyle Editor
Halloween is known throughout the United States as the spookiest time of the year; the time when children go door-to-door wearing costumes that range from cute to scary, candy is given out and scares are plotted throughout the night. Despite its popularity, many don’t know the origins of this holiday that has developed and changed throughout the centuries.
The origins of Halloween can be traced back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, which is still celebrated today by Pagans. Over 2,000 years ago, the Celts and the druids celebrated the new year Nov. 1. Samhain, which translates to “summer’s end” in Gaelic, marked the end of the harvest, meaning winter was about to begin. Winter was seen as a time of death, where the veil between the living and the dead thins to allow supernatural forces to wander the earth. The people would gather to burn crops and offer animals as sacrifices to the Celtic deities. Additionally, those who were thinking of their lost loved ones would use candles and bonfires to guide them to the afterlife.
Others would wear costumes to scare the bad spirits and demons away. However, some believed that doing this would allow them to be able to tell each other’s future. The Celtic priests believed that due to the presence of otherworldly beings on the earth, their predictions would hold more weight. After the festival was over, they would take flames from the bonfires and light their own hearths with them. It was believed that the fire would protect them from the incoming winter.
In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III proclaimed Nov. 1 “All Saints’ Day,” which honors not only the saints, but also the martyrs. Then, in the year 1000, the church made Nov. 2 “All Souls’ Day,” a day that honors the dead. It is believed that the church did this to replace the Celtic festival with a Christian-sanctioned holiday.
It incorporated some of the traditions of Samhain, like big bonfires, celebrations and dressing up in costumes as beings like devils, saints and angels. The night before, which was originally Samhain, began to be called “All-Hallows Eve.”
When people began immigrating to the US, which at the time was the 13 colonies, All-Hallows Eve began to change. As the customs of European ethnic groups and Native Americans clashed, “Halloween” began to emerge.
The first celebrations of the tradition were known as “play parties,” which were events held to celebrate the harvest. Neighbors shared stories of the dead and would try to tell each other’s fortunes.
Trick-or-treating is based on European traditions where Americans began dressing up in costumes and going door-to-door to ask for food or money, which eventually became the trick-or-treating recognized today.
Jack-o’-lanterns come from a tradition in Ireland that came over with Irish immigrants. It is said that there was a man known as “Stingy Jack,” who would trap the devil multiple times throughout his life, keeping him captive until he promised Jack he wouldn’t go to hell. However, when the time came for Jack’s death, he found out that he wasn’t allowed to go to heaven either, so he was doomed to wander the earth forever. The devil supposedly gave Jack a burning lump of coal in a hollowed-out turnip to be his makeshift lantern.
Therefore, the locals began carving spooky faces into their own vegetables to frighten away the spirits from their homes. When immigrants moved to the U.S., the Irish brought the tradition with them. Since pumpkins are native to North America, they decided to switch from turnips to pumpkins; thus, the Jack-o’-laturns that are known today were born.
While Halloween isn’t the same as Samhain in the traditional sense, the holiday still carries that same spirit expressed by the druids and the Celts. It celebrates the time in the year where the leaves change color, the harvest comes in for the final time and everyone does their best to deal with mischievous spirits, whether it be a ghost, a demon or a roommate who wants to scare someone into a heart attack.
