Everyone celebrates Halloween in their own way, whether it be through ventures such as costume parties, bar crawls, trick-or-treating, movie marathons or ghost hunting.
And though watching the Halloweentown franchise in entirety while scarfing down your seventh Snickers bar will always be a holiday well spent, sometimes things can get a little stale. So this year, how about mixing things up a little with a psychic visit?
Sure, mystical channelers such as Miss Cleo and Theresa Caputo, the “Long Island Medium,” have been the butts of many jokes. But if it’s all in good fun, a trip to one of the multiple fortune tellers we have in the College Park area can be a memorable experience to share with spontaneous friends, lighthearted family and/or an adventurous beau.
Just be wary of a few things.
1. Get a co-sign.
You can’t just go to the first psychic you see on the side of the road. I mean, you can, but it’s pretty ill-advised. You want to know what you’re walking into, so you can put yourself at ease beforehand. Do your research and ask around. Yes, it’s probably a little bit weird to ask about psychics in the area over Yik Yak, Cluck or a UMD Facebook group. But hey, better safe than sorry!
2. Don’t set your expectations too high.
They’re psychics, not therapists. Most likely, they’ll be able to enlighten you about certain subjects pertaining to your inner emotions, conflicts or desires and then give you their little two cents on what to look out for. But they can’t tell you everything about everything, or how to fix it all. Be open to the process and take it for what it is, assuming no more and no less.
3. Just relax.
The happier you are to be there, the better the outcome. Sure, in the beginning, it’s easy to believe that the whole thing is really no big deal, but people tend to have different reactions once they actually get in the room. All of a sudden, anxiety or a certain guardedness can set in, so try to remain at peace. And in the case that your sense of hesitance doesn’t go away, just bow out gracefully.
In addition, don’t dictate the conversation. In a lot of ways, it’s great to tell your psychic what kinds of questions you want explored, but wildly interrogating him or her about the most intimate inner workings of your life is never going to work. Keep the conversation to a minimum and just pay attention to the psychic, steering him or her when necessary. You know, just enough to stay the course.
4. Take it with a grain of salt.
There is no way your psychic is going to hit everything on the nose. In fact, half the time you’re asked a question, you’re probably going to answer with, “Ummm, no.” And the fact that he or she will be doing a lot of the talking, doesn’t help all that much, either. So, you may feel a little awkward. Try not to hold it against anyone.
On the other hand, if you do end up getting super into everything your psychic is saying, be careful with that, too. Maybe she’ll bring up health problems. It doesn’t mean you have a year to live. Maybe he’ll say your boyfriend is keeping something from you. It doesn’t mean he’s a sex addict. Let it all sink in, while also trusting your instincts.
5. If all goes wrong, DIY.
If you can’t find a trustworthy psychic around, or feel as though your experience is a dud, just walk out. Besides, there are plenty of other ways to explore the spiritual world outside of a “professional” help. Grab some friends and buy a Ouija board, look up info on tarot cards, research astrology or study up on how to read each other’s palms. Sometimes, if you want something done right, you got to do it yourself.
Alright, now go make some memories!