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.
