We Are Not Alone: An Adventure Seeking Those on the Other Side

Are we alone, or are we home to the deadly unknown?

There are Wittenberg students who walk around campus without even thinking about whether an invisible friend is walking with them. The campus is 175 years old this year, so some may think that the students from the past may not really be gone.

On Oct. 20, I opened up “Ghost Detector,” the ghost hunting app on my phone, and put all my fears behind me. According to its description, the app shows sound waves that increase if it senses a ghost nearby or decreases if nothing is there. Additionally, it has a small speech box for ghosts who want to strike up a conversation with you.

A typical college student would just walk around campus going to classes, to the gym and things like that — but not me. I was inspired to explore campus’ haunted past after watching the Youtube channel “Buzzfeed Unsolved,” where hosts Shane and Ryan walk around different haunted places and look for ghosts. I had to follow in their footsteps.

I went by myself around campus and conducted a search for ghosts. First, I started with Myers Hall. My friend who lives in the building let me in, which made my exploration much easier. I swallowed my slight fear of ghosts and walked around the first floor.

At first, the only noises I heard were from the residents who lived there. But then I remembered how Myers Hall was supposedly a hospital many years ago, and that there may be a ghost horse running around. Sadly, I did not find any ghost horses with my ghost detector app, but as I walked around the hallways, I did pick up some words.

Originally, I thought it was just some residents talking, but I listened very closely. The first word I heard was “snap.” The radar on my app was going crazy, and red and orange colors appeared notifying me that a ghost could be nearby. The voice’s tone was very deep — it might have been a man speaking to me. But that left me confused: for what does “snap” mean? Was the ghost trying to snap his fingers at me to get my attention? So mysterious.

I walked around Myers hall for a bit more and got a few more words from some ghostly passers-by. The next ghost I found could be that of a little girl. I made this assumption because the spirit said, “Daddy, no.” To me, the voice was high pitched and sounded almost childlike. I decided to leave Myers after this.

My next destination was Weaver Chapel. You may think, “But Katie, it’s a church. Would there really be spirits in a place of worship?” Yes, in fact, there are. As I walked down the main aisle, I had my ghost radar at the ready, hoping to find some evidence of ghosts. Weaver Chapel opened in 1956, so it is not exactly a centuries-old European cathedral, but thought I was sure to find something.

I kept on walking and my ghost app picked up the word “evil.” Did a ghost say that in a place of worship, or was I just hearing things? Maybe if a ghost did say it, would it be directed towards me? I don’t know, but I do know that it was time to leave.

Next, I visited Recitation Hall, one of the oldest buildings on campus. Most students and visitors go to this building for academic help or setting up a tour- but of course, I had other ideas. I walked around yet again with my app open in the main hallway of Recitation and looked for some eerie signs. Considering the building was full of tour groups, it was kind of awkward ghost hunting, but I was still able to pick up some ghost signs in the building. I stood still near the bathroom sign and heard a voice saying “sing.” I could not tell if it was a man’s or woman’s voice, but I did know that I was not going to burst into song right next to a tour group.

After finishing my experiment, I do believe that our beloved campus is home to both students and ghosts. If you are like me and want to go some ghost hunting of your own, don’t be afraid! Download the “Ghost Detector” app and enjoy! Just remember: if you’re walking late at night and feel a slight breeze, maybe it’s a ghost trying to say hello or get your attention.