URI Paranormal Society Investigates Supernatural Entities Around Campus
Paranormal Society is a group of students who search for spirits around campus. Photo by James McIntosh.
Have you ever wondered what buildings on campus might be haunted? Look no further than the University of Rhode Island’s Paranormal Society for where to find spirits around campus this spooky season.
The Paranormal Society investigates buildings on and around campus to see if there are any paranormal entities in the area.
Meghan Anchukaitis, treasurer of URI Paranormal Society, said that some of the buildings the club has investigated include East Hall, Ranger Hall, Washburn Hall, Davis Hall and others surrounding the Quad.
For Anchukaitis, the most paranormally active sight on campus is East Hall.
“I’ve had the most experience in that particular building,” said Anchukaitik. “I know others might say Davis Hall for them or Ranger. Again, it all depends on what you’ve experienced in that building.”
The organization also conducts investigations off-campus at sites such as Cumberland Cemetery.
According to Anchukaitis, the group conducts one or two investigations a month which usually involves 15 to 20 members. Executive board members typically sweep the buildings being investigated before any contact is attempted. This is to ensure that those surveying the building have no outside influence on the evaluation of the buildings’ supernatural happenings.
During investigations, Anchukaitis said that different technology is used to try to communicate with or detect entities in the area.
Anchukaitis said that the group will set up cameras in rooms suspected of having any activity as well as conducting “electronic voice phenomenon” sessions to communicate with the entities, but more equipment is desired.
“I know we got a little more to our budget so I think we’re gonna try to get more [equipment],” said Anchukaitis. “We talk about it all of the time, wanting more equipment, just the funds is difficult.”
Members of the group are welcomed to bring their own paranormal communication devices with them to investigations, according to Anchukaitis who brings her pendulums.
Anchukaitis said there are specific attitudes people have when trying to communicate with the paranormal.
“Provoking does set off a little bit more attitude in the entities,” explained Anchukaitis. “It not necessarily gives us more answers or unexplainable noises or anything but it does kind of change the mood or the vibe of that space that we’re in.”
Investigating these places has helped members of the organization to learn more about their campus than they might have previously known as they try to make contact with the transcendental.
The URI Paranormal Society does more than just investigate different places for their metaphysical occurrences, the organization also meets to discuss different spooky shows such as “Buzzfeed Unsolved” and “Ghost Adventures.”
Anchukaitis explained that these shows are highly popular among members of the club and get brought up at almost every meeting.
The group also holds an annual costume contest among its members around Halloween time, according to sophomore biomedical engineering major Keelyn Ferris.
“The group itself has a really fun vibe,” Ferris explained. “Sure, around investigations we can be serious, but our breaks or during meetings we can be fun or joke around together.”
Others detailed how they were drawn into joining the club through their interests in the paranormal.
Emily Lamphier, senior history and anthropology major, said she had always been fascinated with the paranormal and joined the club after she saw it on the URI Student Organizations page.
As for the atmosphere of the organization, Eben Aceto, a sophomore computer science major, said joining the club was a fun way to make friends.
For those interested in joining the URI Paranormal Society, Ferris said there is no requirement to be a “full believer” in the paranormal.
Meetings for the URI Paranormal Society are held on Tuesdays from 6-7 p.m. in the Memorial Union, Room 360.