Guide to Ghost hunting

by Wendy Withers

Whether it be at a spooky old hotel, a hotel bathroom, or an ancient cemetery, here are some tips and tricks to survive your first haunted adventure.

Respect the dead.

Unless you are callous or just out for cheap thrills, you are going to do this anyways. Plus, if you don't follow this tip, your friends will think you are a morbid bitch.

Take a friend (or two or three).

This is a good tip for safety and adds scare factor. You don't want to be plodding around an area in the middle of the night by yourself. Plus your friends are probably more likely to try to scare you - like when my mother went to a haunted restroom in Savannah, Georgia. She still isn't sure whether it was her best friend or a ghost who gave her a fright.

Go ghost-hunting at night.

Unless the scary spot is a popular tourist attraction that is locked up during the twilight hours, night-time is the best time for ghosts. The ambiance is also a hell of a lot better in the dark.

Bring a flashlight.

For seeing. In the dark.

Bring a camera and a sound recorder.

The movie White Noise is a good primer for why to bring these along. It is even better if your camera doubles up as a video camera. Once the night is over, the only thing left to do is scour the pictures and recording to prove there were ghosts present.

Get an idea of legal consequences.

Ghost stories abound at the first college I went to (Gustavus Adolphus in Minnesota). As a student, I had a legal right to be in the dorms and halls, snooping around. Graveyards are becoming corporate entities, and they do not want packs of ghost-crazed girls wandering their tombstones at night. Try to find out just how much trouble you could get into.

Plan a seance.

This is a tip for the less adventurous who would rather stay at home on their comfy couch with a group of their best friends and a bottle of wine. There are many options: Ouija boards, mediums or a pendulum are all options to connect with the dead. Just take the time to read the directions if a pro isn't there to help.

Visit a spiritualist camp.

This is where it all started. In the 19th century, there was a whole spiritualist movement dedicated to talking to the dead and divining the future. There are still spiritualists sprinkled around the world, but it takes some research to find them.

Find a balance.

Ghost hunting is serious fun. You don't want to be seen as the jerk who made a fool of herself and got everyone arrested for tipping over headstones.

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