Fenerbahçe’s return to the UEFA Champions League has ended an 18-year wait and brought a new kind of excitement to supporters who were too young to remember its previous campaign. The club is back in the main competition for the first time since 2008/09. For two Fenerbahçe fans I spoke to, this season is their first opportunity to watch their team in this arena.

The return also puts Fenerbahçe alongside local rivals Galatasaray in the 2026/27 league phase. That gives the story a wider Turkish football angle, beyond the celebrations of one club.

Memories and missed opportunities

Fenerbahçe reached the quarter-finals in 2007/08 and returned to the group stage the following season. UEFA’s history records show several later attempts to qualify, including a play-off appearance in 2025/26, but none took the club back into the main stage until this season.

That history helps explain the difference between older and younger supporters. Some can remember the earlier European campaigns. Others have grown up hearing about them, without having a clear memory of watching their own team at this level. The new campaign gives those younger fans something they can experience themselves.

The night that secured the return

Fenerbahçe sealed qualification by beating Lyon 2-1 away on August 26. Vedat Muriqi and Archie Brown scored, and the result secured a 3-2 aggregate victory after a 1-1 draw in Istanbul. The decisive result came away from home, making the second leg a test of whether the team could finish the job under pressure. Winning that tie changed the focus of the season: supporters could finally look ahead to league-phase opponents rather than another qualifying-round disappointment.

A personal connection

My whole family supports Fenerbahçe, and I am a passionate fan myself. I have been a club member for three years. For me, Fenerbahçe is a passion and much more than a football team. That personal connection is why I wanted to write about its return to the Champions League.

A competitive start against Roma

The opening league-phase match ended in a 1-1 home draw against Roma on September 10. Bryan Cristante gave the visitors the lead, but Archie Brown equalised early in the second half. Nathan Aké later hit the crossbar as Fenerbahçe pushed for a winner.

One point does not tell us how the whole campaign will go. Still, coming back after falling behind offered an encouraging opening. The next challenge is to turn that performance into consistent results, rather than letting the excitement of qualification become the main achievement of the season.

What the return means to supporters

Two Fenerbahçe-supporting friends (Onat Onan 24,Serbia /Yiğit Yarmalı 22,Milan) described the Champions League as being in the club’s DNA. Both also talked about the excitement of watching Fenerbahçe in this competition for the first time in their lives. Their comments combined a belief that the club belongs at this level with the personal feeling of finally seeing it happen.

A Galatasaray-supporting friend (Deha Güçlü 22,Brighton) offered a different perspective. He said that having two Turkish clubs in the Champions League after so many years was a beautiful and proud moment for the country. His reaction showed that, for at least one rival supporter, the significance of Turkish representation went beyond club loyalty.

These three views do not represent every fan. However, they show how the same return can mean a first personal experience for one supporter and national pride for another.

The economic opportunity

The financial rewards are another reason qualification matters. According to beIN SPORTS’ report on the provisional 2026/27 distribution, each league-phase participant can expect an initial allocation of €18.62 million. A league-phase win is worth €2.1 million and a draw €700,000. These figures are competition payments, not the club’s net profit or its confirmed total earnings.

Beyond UEFA payments, the campaign could increase demand for tickets and merchandise and make the club more attractive to sponsors. These are potential benefits rather than measured gains. Extra revenue could support players, facilities or other needs, but European participation also brings costs. How the money is used matters as much as how much arrives.

For Fenerbahçe, the return has already given younger supporters a European experience they had long been waiting for. The results ahead will decide how far that excitement carries into the season. Qualification is a milestone; building on it is the next task which is facing the Premier League team Aston Villa on next Wednesday, October 14, at Villa Park.

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By Riley Moore

There is a moment that every student and teacher knows, but we experience different sides of it. The professor asks a question and looks to the students to provide some form of insight.
The bevy of students dread this because now they have to seem busy to avoid answering.
The hapless professor dreads this moment because after narrowly avoiding eye contact and with the students uncomfortably shifting in their seats, the teacher must answer their own question.

Does this feel familiar at all? Perhaps it’s more than just a familiar moment- it’s part of the zeitgeist in today’s college classrooms. A quick look at a r/Professor forum provides insight to this situation and quickly shows us this is not isolated to one professor, one classroom, one school, or even one country- this is happening in classrooms everywhere.

In one recent post to the Reddit thread, a professor recounts their personal trials with attempting to bribe students with candy, participation points, anonymous polling, writing and sharing exercises, and anonymous feedback all in an effort to get students talking in the classroom. This professor is left feeling hopeless and wondering “what else am I supposed to try?”

And perhaps that is the question we should be asking. Not “what is wrong with our students today?” But instead, “What is happening within classrooms, and how can we respond to it?”

The silent classroom is not a new problem, but this feels different

Teachers have always had silent students within classrooms. In fact, silent classrooms were a show of a good teacher who could handle their students. But as students got older, they stayed within the confines of that “good” silence instead of ever branching out to the scary or “bad” noise, like answering questions in class.

There have always been students who would rather sit in the back, take notes, and leave without ever having to offer their ideas or opinions up to a classroom of their peers. But now many instructors are describing something much broader and deeper: classrooms in which getting anyone to answer questions feels like pulling teeth. One professor took the time to recount a recent class they taught, describing that “no one ever raises their hands, asks questions, or makes comments. It’s just a sea of blank looks/looking at their devices.” In reply to that thread, another instructor recounts a class of theirs asking for more discussion on course evaluations, so the instructor set that up. Come time to discuss, no one in the class participated.

I find these contradictions fascinating. One, that students are actively paying and wasting their time to go to these classrooms to sit and stare vacantly at their devices. So, clearly a part of them know this is valuable to their brains and development and future, but there is still a dissonance.
And secondly, that students are saying they want more open discussions, only to not even participate when the said discussion is opened up. Maybe the problem isn’t as simple as whether students want to participate.

What if students are afraid of being wrong?

Some of the more revealing answers come from a Reddit thread called r/CollegeRant, where a student asks for advice or understanding of her classmates who utterly refuse to participate in classroom discussions. Reddit user, Hollyann, states that during her “first semester she thought it was just people being anxious, or maybe the majority of students being straight out of high school they weren’t actually that interested in school in general. But it’s been persistent, and it’s getting on my nerves.”

The reason she cites for these behaviors “getting on her nerves” is because it’s gotten to a point where professors will look at Hollyann with pleading eyes, hoping she will answer the question everyone else refuses to. The replies to this original post vary in understanding and sentiment, but almost all of them point to the simple understanding that students are afraid to get it wrong.

Reddit user, MelissaM replies that “so many people aren’t willing to go outside their comfort zone to interact in class. Especially because they fear that they will be wrong so it’s better to not say anything at all.” Similarly, another Reddit user writes in agreement, attributing social anxiety being the lead cause of limited participation in classrooms, saying: “It’s an overall increase in social anxiety among Gen Z. Also, this generation is particularly focused on being “right” the first time. Being wrong at all is a social death sentence and somehow means you’re stupid and you’ll never learn.”

One anonymous Reddit user, who battles with social anxiety but is getting her undergraduate degree, states they don’t speak in class because they’re “terrified of somehow bothering the class” or an “answer being wrong and looking like an idiot in front of everyone.”

Therefore, it’s fair to say that there is an environment of fear and judgement that is existing within most classrooms, and this makes it impossible for ALL students to feel safe to interact.
When students don’t feel like their voice is important to the conversation, they zone out. They let AI speak for them and watch random YouTube videos to pass the time in class; thus, losing all accountability for their education. I feel that because of this, we’ve entered this ouroboros where the cycle keeps repeating. Because students don’t feel safe to interact in class, they never even give it a chance. They sit down and the first thing they do is find a distraction for the rest of the class.

Most students now fail to give the teacher or class an opportunity and instead launch right into their devices. Now, the students will never even know if they truly would’ve made good contributions to the classroom, because they shut their brains off before they even give it an opportunity. From this, it’s evident the epidemic of lack of student participation has sprouted from social anxiety and major internet dependency.

Be the change you want to see

This is where I believe professors can make this biggest change. As soon as students come into the classroom and start opening their laptops, Ipads, tablets, phones, whatever it may be…tell them the class is going analogue that day. Watch their faces drop as they lose their entertainment.

Now, whether or not they participate is still up in the air- but at least then you know it not because of digital distractions. One element eliminated.

I have personal experience with this working in one of my classes. This was mainly a discussion- based class and my professor got really fed up with two people speaking every day. So that next class, when we went analogue things changed. It wasn’t a magical fix and not everyone in the class was contributing, but in an hour and a half, around half of the class had spoken. In a class of roughly 20 people, half of them speaking in one class was such a drastic difference from the classrooms we’d been operating in. And the next class, the professor did the same thing. Everything away, except a piece of paper and a pen on your desk. Sure enough, more of my classmates found their voices and wanted to speak. And more often than not, students would engage to rebuttal another student’s opinion. Now conversations were coming from conversations that had never been there before. A new cycle had been created.

Instead of continuing this education cycle, whereby both professors and students alike are all showing signs of disdain towards interactions in classrooms, I say it’s time we all put in a little effort to cause some (hopefully) big change. Professors, I plead with you to be open to new, fun, and interactive ways of teaching. I implore you to make the class go analogue- coming from a college student myself, trust me we can take a few hours a day without a screen in front of our face. I believe it’s imperative for the classroom environment to feel safe and accepting, and that life failing or messing up is just a stepping stone to succeeding.

And my fellow students, I beg you to be open to difficult and tumultuous times in your education process. I know that it seems easier to sit quietly in the classroom, but my hunch is that you are negatively impacting yourself in the long run. It is in the public interest that everyone puts their education cowboy hats on and let themselves get bucked around. Sit with some discomfort and speak your voice. Even though it may be difficult; the more you speak your mind, the easier it is to actually know what you think

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Hungary’s national anthem is one which doesn’t boast. It prays. Set beside the anthems its neighbors wrote during the same years, under the same empire, it raises a harder question: when a nation tells the story of how it survived, who does it say is in charge of its fate?

Picture a Budapest apartment at 11:59 on New Year’s Eve. A bottle of pezsgő (sparkling wine) sweating on the table, upon the stove some lencseleves (lentil soup) for good luck, and the television is turned up for the countdown. The clock strikes twelve, and instead of cheering, the room stands up.

From the screen comes a slow, grave melody that sounds more like church than stadium; the guests sing along solemnly, some under their breath, some with their eyes closed, head slightly lowered: ‘Isten, áldd meg a magyart.’ (God, bless the Hungarian). Among them, an outsider, let us say an American, a friend of a friend, holds a glass he isn’t sure he’s yet permitted to drink from; he stands because everyone else does.

The music ends. For a moment, no one moves. And into that moment, cheerfully and on instinct, the outsider claps. Providing us three, maybe four claps, loud in the quiet room, sharp to our ears. He soon stops when he’s noticed that no one has joined him.

Only then do the fireworks begin.

Why nobody claps

The scene is imagined, but the silence is real. Nobody applauds after the Himnusz (National Anthem), and no rule anywhere says you can’t. Hungarians stand for it the way people stand in church.

A symposium on anthem etiquette in Új Köznevelés, a journal of Hungary’s Education Office, tells students to stand at attention with their hands at their sides, or clasped in prayer if the setting is a church, and not to chew gum or keep their hands in their pockets – for the same reason, one contributor writes, that one removes a hat on entering a church. In the same symposium, the conductor Ádám Medveczky puts it more bluntly. Running through the German, Italian, Russian and British anthems, each of which glorifies a people or a monarch, claims that the Hungarian is the only one that does not partake in self-glorification, being a humble prayer instead – “Ez nem is csak egy himnusz, hanem inkább egy vallásos zsoltár,” says Medveczky. (It is not merely an anthem, but rather a religious psalm).

The treatment has institutional ancestors. After the First World War, according to Classic FM, Hungary’s culture minister established restrictions on the anthem’s use, given its prayerful nature, to only serious occasions, and so kept it out of sporting events. In the communist 1950s, it was played without its words.

The American’s hands were trained by an opposite history. When a Navy band appeared and played impromptu ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ during the seventh-inning stretch of the 1918 World Series, the baseball fans sang, and at the final notes, burst into applause, according to The New York Times account published the following day.

So our midnight stages a collision: an anthem that became a match day ritual meets one that was once barred from them. The Hungarians have treated theirs as more sacred than performative, and the reason is not sentiment, but rather genre.

A prayer, not a boast

It is not strictly a song sung in the room. ‘Isten, áldd meg a magyart’ opens a poem Ferenc Kölcsey finished on January 22, 1823, now Hungary’s Day of Hungarian Culture, and published in 1829. All of its eight stanzas are recognized as the official anthem; only the first being sung through the ritual.

It can be regarded as a sacred petition sung, ‘Nyújts feléje védő kart, / Ha küzd ellenséggel’: (Extend a protecting arm toward him / when he struggles with an enemy) [translation mine]; the Hungarian fighting for his life, but it being God’s arm which decides his fate. Even the grammar kneeling: ‘a magyart’ (the Hungarian) being singular, depicting the nation as a single individual standing before God.

Compare this to the anthem our American has grown up with. ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ ends its first verse with a question, ‘O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave / O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?’, which Loras John Schissel of the Library of Congress has called the only national anthem to conclude with a question mark. were written by American lawyer and poet Francis Scott Key, the American lawyer and poet who wrote the lyrics to ‘The Star-Spangled Banner, having asked a question about a flag/symbol, whilst Kölcsey having asked his question of God – one anthem waiting for daylight; the other waiting for mercy.

Then the strangest claim: ‘Megbűnhődte már e nép / A múltat s jövendőt!’ (This people has already atoned / for the past and the future!) Megbűnhődte is a completed past tense acquisition. A paid debt, even for sins yet to be committed; the lyrics sound like confession, though it works as a plea of innocence.

Is it humility, or simply camouflage? Kölcsey’s subtitle, ‘from the stormy centuries of the Hungarian people,’ has put the nation’s suffering safely in the past, and it is often argued that this helped the poem pass Habsburg censors, a notion first promoted through literary historian Pál Gyulai’s lectures in the 1880s. The dates don’t quite cooperate however, this subtitle having been on the 1823 manuscript, and when the poem was first printed in 1829, it appeared without the subtitle and drew no objection. The never-sung third stanza indeed being boastful, of Tokaj nectar and an army that made ‘Bécsnek büszke vára’ (Vienna’s proud fortress) whimper. But this is only about history.

Hungary had another option. Mihály Vörösmarty’s ‘Szózat’ (1836) commands the Hungarian to remain unwaveringly faithful to his homeland, and welcome, if it must come to it, ‘a nagyszerű halál’ (the glorious death) and insists that the sacrifice surely paid for something: ‘Az nem lehet hogy annyi szív / Hiába onta vért.’ (It cannot be that so many hearts / shed blood in vain). Szózat addresses the Hungarian; Himnusz addresses God, and its seventh stanza, also one never sung, refuses the bargain outright: “S ah, szabadság nem virúl / A holtnak véréből,’ (And ah, freedom does not bloom / from the blood of the dead). Hungary never came to choose between them; both songs open and close official celebrations.

A melody from church

The words kneel, but so, it turns out, does the tune, although the story Hungary spent a century telling itself about why it is mostly myth. In Géza Gárdonyi’s famous version, the composer Ferenc Erkel is locked by the National Theater’s director in a room and forced to compose on the spot the day before the deadline. In the silence, Erkel remembers his first teacher in Pressburg (Bratislava, or Pozsony in Hungarian), who had told him that those who write sacred music should always think of the bells. Then, tolling in his ear, he hears them, these same bells of the city in which he had studied as a youth. The musicologist Ferenc Bónis was blunt. Gárdonyi’s account is fine literature, though “…in terms of music history it is a mystification.”

The reality was really quite bureaucratic. On 29 February, 1844, the National Theater of Pest announced a contest to promote Hungarian poetry, not to choose a national anthem. Entries were anonymous, marked only by mottoes. Erkel won.

Then the twist. It was found by the musicologist Katalin Kim, who quotes Bónis’s verdict in a 2021 study of the anthem’s genesis, found that the opening of Erkel’s melody matches that of a Pange lingua setting in Devotio Sacris Hymnis (1815) – a Catholic hymn book that had been compiled by Heinrich Klein, that very first teacher of Erkel at the Benedictine school in Pressburg. Despite being wrong in its details, the legend is right in its instinct: the tune really does come out of a church.

A reviewer in Regélő Pesti Divatlap heard the church’s bells in 1844 and predicted, on those grounds, that the hymn “will not find an echo on the people’s lips.” – a line Kim recovers from the July issue. Her verdict on it: “He was wrong.” He had the roots right and the consequence backwards; the church in the music may be exactly why it lasted.

Next door, 1844–1848

Please stay in Pressburg but a moment longer, since in January and February 1844, weeks before Pest announced its contest, a 23-year-old student named Janko Matúška was writing Nad Tatrou sa blýska in that same city (Pozsony to Hungarians, Bratislava today), where Erkel had learned his church music.

Matúška wrote in protest. The Slovak scholar Ľudovít Štúr having been forced from his post at the city’s Lutheran lyceum at the end of 1843, after objections were raised by authorities of the Kingdom of Hungary to his Slovak nationalism. In March, about two dozen students would leave Pressburg as a show of solidarity.

‘Nad Tatrou sa blýska, / hromy divo bijú. / Zastavme ich, bratia, / veď sa ony stratia, / Slováci ožijú.’ (Lightning flashes over the Tatras, / thunder strikes wildly. / Let us stop them, brothers; / surely they will vanish, / the Slovaks will come alive).

‘Let us stop them’. The Slovaks are depicted as the actors, writing their own destiny – God does not appear.

And the storm they wanted driven off was, in part, Hungary.

The Himnusz is unusually willing to accuse its own nation, its fifth stanza, unsung, turning on the nation itself: ‘Hányszor támadt tenfiad / Szép hazám, kebledre,’ (How often your own son rose, / my beautiful homeland, against your breast), until the homeland became ‘your offspring’s funeral urn’. But look who is in that sentence. The son and the mother are both Hungarian. The poem is capable of imagining Hungarians destroying Hungarians; it cannot imagine Hungarians as somebody else’s storm. Kölcsey’s accounting is real, and it stops at the border.

Set the two songs side by side and Kölcsey’s poem appears in silhouette. Matúška’s Slovaks have a verb: stop them. Hungary’s anthem hands its people almost nothing: struggling, suffering, and atoning, while someone else’s arm decides the outcome. The nation that expressed oppression within Pressburg wrote itself an anthem in which it can barely act.

Now change one variable and put God back in. It would be four years later, in 1848, when the Transylvanian poet Andrei Mureșanu would write ‘Deșteaptă-te, române!’; first sung in Brașov, then in Hungarian-ruled territory. The historian Nicolae Bălcescu called it the ‘Marseillaise’ of the Romanians.

‘Deșteaptă-te, române, din somnul cel de moarte, / În care te-adânciră barbarii de tirani!’ (Wake up, Romanian, from the sleep of death / into which the barbarous tyrants sank you!) Himnusz reaches the same invasions and blames nobody outside: ‘Hajh, de bűneink miatt / Gyúlt harag kebledben,’ (Alas, but because of our sins/anger kindled in your breast.) Romania names its oppressors whilst Hungary names itself.

Nor is this piety versus secularism. Another line of Mureșanu’s poem reads, ‘Preoți, cu crucea-n frunte, căci oastea e creștină’: (Priests, with the cross at the front, for the army is Christian.) God is invoked in both songs, but in Himnusz God acts, and in Mureșanu’s, God blesses an army that acts – an army assured that death in battle is better than living again as slaves, which is precisely the bargain Kölcsey’s seventh stanza refuses, and Hungary never sings. Romania would make the song its anthem on January 24, 1990, weeks after its violent revolution.

So the prayer given in Himnusz is not a sign that Hungary was the more religious country, but rather a question of where the verbs went, and of who ends up in the ledger. Its neighbors’ anthems are willing to identify an enemy, while Hungary’s could only name itself.

The prayer took a long time to become law, with Himnusz only becoming Hungary’s official anthem in 1989, when it was written into the constitution during the democratic transition; a 1903 bill having passed parliament but failing to take effect.

That lag is part of a pattern: with the United States recognizing theirs in 1931, a mere 117 years after Key wrote it; Romania in 1990; Slovakia on January 1, 1993, at independence. The adoption of a nation’s anthems is done not when they are written but when the state needs to say what it is.

The 2012 Fundamental Law, the politics of which are still contested, went further: its preamble opens with the anthem’s first line. The poem’s last stanza repeats its first almost word for word. Only the verb changes.

‘Szánd meg Isten a magyart.’

(Pity, God, the Hungarian).

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Unique beverages, delicious foods, good cheer, and a true sense of community — perhaps this is how we could best describe this year’s annual International Day at McDaniel College Budapest, which was organized by the SAC on Thursday, May 8. With over a dozen nationalities represented, the event drew a much larger audience than expected, and the nearly 60 participants quickly turned it into a lively celebration of cultural diversity and unity. The overriding theme was clear: cultivating curiosity and respect for one another’s cultures.

Due to the windy and rainy weather conditions, the event was held in the college’s grand Auditorium (Room 100) – for the first time since 2019 – offering a nostalgic reminder to the predecessor of International Days, the once-highly successful “International Dinners.” Similar to previous years, the organizers welcomed students from all programs at the institution, including the four-year BA, Pre-Med/Pre-Vet, and BSM programs, therefore increasing the diversity of the represented countries. In addition to the United States and Hungary, attendees represented (among others) the United Kingdom, Romania, France, Greece, Namibia, Nigeria, Venezuela, Russia, Turkey, and Palestine, and there were even students from Nepal and Myanmar.

The event’s main highlight was undoubtedly the free presentation and tasting session hosted by Zwack Unicum, a distinguished and historic Hungarian spirits producer. This occasion provided a unique opportunity for students to learn about one of Hungary’s most successful and historic liqueur companies. Participants also had the chance to sample five distinctive flavors of Zwack’s flagship brand, Unicum: besides the classic version, attendees could enjoy the coffee, orange, plum, and premium varieties. The idea to organize such an extracurricular activity at the International Day first came up in March, when one of our students, Levente Laknerfi, who works at Zwack Unicum, approached SAC to share details about this exciting opportunity. The organizers quickly embraced the initiative and immediately began collaborating with Levente to coordinate the event. “It was a great experience working with SAC to bring this event to my fellow students,” Levente remarked. He also expressed his hope to make this tasting session an annual tradition for International Days, promising that next year’s event “will keep the high standards” that were set this year.

Zwack’s close relationship with McDaniel College Budapest added an extra layer of significance to this collaboration. The company’s Chairman of the Board of Directors, Sándor Zwack, is an alumnus of the college, while students enrolled in Professor Robert Smyth’s popular “From Garden to Table” gastro-journalism course have also previously visited the Zwack factory in Budapest. Although Dean Frenyó had invited Sándor Zwack to the event, he was unable to attend, due to other commitments. Nonetheless, he sent his best wishes to those present.

Following the tasting and presentation, the event entered its second phase: a relaxed, picnic-style gathering, that transformed the auditorium into an informal and lively atmosphere. Many attendees brought special dishes from their own cultures, such as Greek moussaka, American blueberry muffins, Hungarian palacsinta (pancakes) with homemade jam, túrógombóc (cottage cheese dumplings), and German pastries. In addition, the organizers ordered pizza, ensuring a laid-back culinary experience for all attendees. SAC members also acknowledged that next year, they plan to prepare even more food options in order to better meet the growing level of interest.

Participants overwhelmingly shared a positive feedback when asked by our student newspaper. A Study Abroad student, Amiya Daye, commented: “Although I wasn’t there the entire time, I saw that it was lively, and everyone seemed excited to share cultural experiences with their friends and even strangers.” Freshman art student Lilla Sándor described the event as “really enjoyable and entertaining.” Levente Laknerfi also emphasized the significance of the occasion, stating, “It was a unique opportunity not only to learn about cultural diversity but to experience it firsthand.” This enthusiasm was reflected in the large number of students who participated in the Kahoot game, featuring fun facts about various nations. Many students also enjoyed the selfie wall, which was created by the Art Club under the leadership of Alexa Bandura.

The International Day also marked the SAC’s final major program of the semester, making it especially gratifying to see such a large turnout, shared unanimously by several organizers with our newspaper. Indeed, this event not only signaled the conclusion of the semester, but also brought the academic year to a close, serving as a positive example of the increasingly vibrant student community that has been building since 2024.

Photos by Krisztina Géczi, Anna Horváth, and Kristof Kocs

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The McDaniel Budapest Campus is revitalizing its student-run podcast that goes by the title MCDB-Clock It n’Go. It can be found on Spotify and other audio streaming apps and platforms. The organization is run by co-producers and editors Nicholas Trunecz, (who is also a peer mentor and co-president of SAC) and Anna Horváth, a McDaniel Budapest alum. Dr. Christopher Cox, professor and director of academic and institutional development, acts as the overseer of the club.

Four students in total are being featured in front of the camera and over the sound waves this semester: Lilla Fekete, a second-year student and native Hungarian; Vera Timothy, an international student from Nigeria and fellow second-year; Jasmine Artis, third-year and study abroad student from the Westminster campus; and myself, second year student and fellow study abroad participant.

While reflecting on previous years, Nicholas comments, “this project usually draws a disproportionate amount of study abroad students,” but despite the high number of study-abroad students, this is an open and non-exclusive club where any and everyone is encouraged to join. There is no application process, and the emphasis is on creating a space where all conversations are welcome. The motto for the podcast this year is to “Make of it what you will” because those in front and behind the camera are always looking for innovative ideas that are important and interesting to fellow students.

The club not only gives people the chance to discuss things that are important to them but also to learn how to operate equipment, use audio and visual software, and post content on social media. Meetings take place each Monday (except Spring Break) in Room T2 where an episode is recorded, then the topic for the following week’s episode is discussed. The plan is to shoot and edit an episode each week until the end of the semester to produce five episodes with visual, audio, and short-form content.

Plans to continue and expand this project on the main campus in Westminster have been vaguely discussed. According to the producers of the podcast, higher-ups on both campuses are open to the idea and many students traveling to and from Budapest are intrigued as well.

Follow the link below to listen to older Clock It n’Go content and prepare for upcoming releases:

https://open.spotify.com/show/7p9CwxKt4HL665QPPJzf2u?si=fTQHBxsMS8qfSWUO1Fwe2Q

The Interrogation, which is another podcast that has content from previous McDaniel Budapest students: https://open.spotify.com/show/5usZfd7dNun9BLtWPlHlZQ?si=rvwQBHvKRaWsmC3mg5DSFw

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As acknowledged by the SAC, the event had a dual purpose: on one hand, to host a delightful and easy-going community-building evening centered around wine tasting, and on the other hand, to encourage participants to express their thoughts creatively in the form of paintings. Incidentally, the organizers provided all the necessary artistic supplies. Some attendees created landscapes, others chose to depict their beloved pets, while another participant rendered a figure study of a female nude. In the meantime, Professor Smyth – who is also the faculty advisor for McDaniel Budapest’s online student newspaper The Messenger – delivered a captivating lecture on the true art of wine tasting, emphasizing the importance of engaging all our senses. 

“For me, it was wonderful to talk about Hungarian wine to young people because we hear so much about how young people are not drinking wine these days; that it is a dying product,” Professor Smyth told our newspaper, adding that “it was really nice to see the joy in people’s eyes and the enthusiasm.” When asked if this year’s event differed from those he had attended in the past, he responded, “Not really.”

“Every event is unique,” the wine journalist continued, and Art & Wine Nights are always popular because “they’re really fun,” which is why he hopes to organize the event again next year.

The selection of drinks, similar to previous years, has been centered around traditional Hungarian vintages, aiming to provide both Hungarian and international students with a glimpse into the region’s rich and high-quality wine culture. This year, the choice has fallen on two exceptional Hungarian wines that truly represent the country’s exclusive winemaking heritage: the BÖJT winery’s Egri Bikavér Superior red wine and the Balassa winery’s “duck-themed” dry Furmint from Tokaj.

All participants unanimously expressed their enjoyment of the event. “The Art and Wine Night was such a fun experience, and I’m so glad I got to be a part of it,” remarked Savannah, an art major and one of the attendees. She emphasized that the purpose of the event was not “to see who could drink the most wine or whose painting was the best, but [rather] to connect with fellow students while enjoying some wine and making art!” Hope, another participant, echoed similar sentiments, describing the event as “an incredible night, filled with creativity, joy, and fun.” According to the Study Abroad student who arrived from the Westminster campus only for this semester, the Art & Wine Night also provided an excellent opportunity for community building. “It has inspired my friends and I to organize a picnic by Parliament during sunset and paint,” Hope continued, emphasizing the importance of “taking advantage of the beautiful city we are in” and creating artwork that will last forever.

In a continuation of past traditions, the Art Exhibition celebrating the works created during the Art & Wine Night has been organized on the second floor of the college. Due to significant interest, the exhibition was open for viewing until April 18, and visitors will have the opportunity not only to admire the stunning creations of our talented artists but also to purchase reprints in postcard, A4, or A3 sizes. Similar to previous events, the donations collected during the Art & Wine Night and the Art Exhibition will go to SAC, who will utilise the funds to support the costs of such programs and activities. After being delighted by the event’s success and large participation, the SAC has made several important announcements regarding a number of other exciting student life activities that will be held in the coming weeks. In addition to the Art Market, McDaniel Budapest will host an all-college basketball tournament on April 30 (the first such event in years), a hiking excursion during the first weekend of May, and many minor activities planned by the school’s Art Club. Furthermore, organizers have confirmed that the semester’s most highly anticipated event, International Day, will take place on Thursday, May 8, during the late afternoon and early evening hours, with an array of exciting surprise activities for attendees to enjoy. As a teaser, the SAC revealed that, following the success of the Art & Wine Night, representatives from Zwack Unicum – a prominent Hungarian spirits company where McDaniel alum Sándor Zwack is the chairman of the board of directors – will be invited to deliver a presentation about their products, which will include a free tasting experience.

If you are interested to learn more about McDaniel’s Student Life activities, please make sure to follow their Instagram page (@mcdanielbudapest), or reach out to any of the Peer Mentors/SAC Officers.

Photos by Alex Contreras, Krisztina Géczi, and Kristof Kocs

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The advice in this article is specific to living in Budapest, Hungary, as a first time international traveler, but includes quotes and pieces of advice from study abroad professor and McDaniel College’s Communication and Cinema Department Associate Chair Dr. Erin Watley along with fellow first time study abroad student and Communication major Isabelle Diffendal along with frequent international traveler and Spanish, Kinesiology, and Psych major Hope Safia.

1. Don’t pack like you’re (only) going on vacation

There will be plenty of places to travel and buy new clothes if that’s what you like to do. However, you will be living here so bring clothes you wear every day like lounge wear or pajamas, a jacket and coat; pack for cold and warm days, regardless of what time of year you plan to stay.

“It’s important to bring things that are really unique to your comfort,” explains Dr. Watley. For instance, for myself as a woman of color, there are certain things I must take into consideration when traveling, even within my own country, let alone another one. These things include certain hair and body products that may not be widely available like leave-in conditioners for my hair and cocoa butter for my skin, and more just based on my preferences.

The same can be said for all kinds of experiences, so if you prefer certain textures for sleeping, specific brands of snacks, spices, or sauces that you know you will miss, or anything (within reason) that brings you comfort, bring it with you. Also, the TSA (Transportation Security Administration) has a website where you can check which items can and cannot be brought on planes.

2. Travel in a group if you can

Unless you are a frequent international solo traveler or just enjoy solo travel, going to a new country alone can be overwhelming so choose a travel buddy from your program if you can; book flights together and stay connected throughout the trip. Once you arrive, it is safe to travel alone (with caution of course) but traveling in a group can lead to more interesting experiences and provide more assurance and safety.

“If you are traveling alone, stay in crowded areas and remember, it’s okay to walk away from uncomfortable situations,” recommends Isabelle. “Be aware of scam ATMs. Do not use the ones outside of discount shops, only those attached to banks or those recommended by trusted individuals.”

“Though it may be obvious to say, be conscious of your surroundings as well,” Isabelle adds, “Cars will not stop for you even when pulling out of car garages. There are bike lanes on sidewalks and bikers who make sidewalks their road, look out for them too.”

“Also,” Isabelle says, “Do not go to places with only an English menu out front. Or places with names that are not unique. For example, a pizzeria that only has the name ‘Pizzeria’ and not its own unique brand is a tourist trap.”

3. Remember, you are still in school:

Though it may be encouraged to not bring much school supplies, if you are like I am, bring paper and pencils with you. Yes, it may be more convenient to only use electronic devices but if you know you work better with physical materials, then don’t be afraid to make room for them. Some classes may even require it.

When it comes to school advice, Dr. Watley encouraged students to go further into their educational exploration. “If you have some McDaniel plan credits to fulfill or have room for an extra course, take a class that intrigues you but has nothing to do with your major. Everything is a part of the experience.”

Here at the Budapest campus, you can jump into a badminton class, take the Music from the Margins course where you listen, dissect, and learn about music from marginalized communities, and much more.

4. Watch your money

“Be mindful about your spending,”says Dr. Watley. “There is a cultural element to spending money and spending lots of it can draw unwanted attention to you.” I would also add that budgeting is important for any trip but when living specifically in Budapest as an international student from America, it can be easy to overspend once you realize how inexpensive things are in comparison to back home.

I recommend making two lists of what you expect to spend monthly, then weekly. With all your numbers laid out, you can spend without stress. Make sure to consider monthly subscriptions, recurring payments, and bank fees. Most American banks have a 2-3% international fee every time you use your card, so using cash has been best for me. You can request Hungarian money from your bank at home before you leave or use the local and trusted ATM which is just a block over from the McDaniel Budapest school building. These transactions also come with a fee.

If you don’t like to cook, consider having a bigger “spending” or “going out budget” than a weekly/monthly grocery budget. Also, cheaper doesn’t always mean better when budgeting, sometimes it’s nice to spend a little more on necessary products like cleaning supplies for example.

5. Create some Lore! And explore!

Hope likes to go by a saying while living and studying abroad here in Budapest: Y.O.L.I.B.O. “The YOLIBO (You Only Live in Budapest Once) concept came about during my last semester spent in Madrid, Spain,” Hope explains. “During study abroad, you must take advantage of all the opportunities presented to you because you only have this chance once. So, say yes to everything, enjoy every moment, and take it all in.”

Personally, I couldn’t agree more. Do all the things you may have been putting off or haven’t had the opportunity to do for assorted reasons. Visit those quaint coffee shops and try new and exotic foods. Take the inexpensive and easy to use public transportation to visit different cities (or even countries) and explore different sites. Book concert tickets, go to museums, and more. Also just enjoy a trip to the park or the market and take it easy. It’s fun to do these things on your own, but it can be just as fun to do it with the new friends or travel companions you’ve made along the way.

“Different people will give you different opportunities to do different things so embrace the newness of it if you are there, just be present,” Dr. Watley says, “Don’t compare the version of fun you will experience here to the one that you are used to, it won’t look the same. And, at the very least, you can say you did it.”

Photos by Amiya Daye

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Emotional Intelligence refers to the ability to recognize, understand, manage, and influence one’s own emotions and the emotions of others. In the context of relationships, emotional intelligence plays a pivotal role in fostering healthy, supportive, and communicative connections between individuals. Psychologists have long emphasized how the skills associated with emotional intelligence contribute to better conflict resolution, empathy, and overall relationship satisfaction.

Emotional Intelligence in Relationships

1. Self-awareness: Recognizing one’s own emotions is the first step in emotional intelligence. In relationships, being aware of your feelings helps you communicate effectively and prevents unnecessary emotional outbursts. This is especially important when navigating disagreements or stressful situations, where emotions can run high.

Self-awareness is the ability to recognize and understand your moods, emotions, and drives, as well as their effect on others,”says Daniel Goleman.

2. Empathy: A key component of EI, empathy allows individuals to understand and share the feelings of others. In relationships, empathy is essential for connecting with your partner or loved ones on a deeper level, providing emotional support, and building trust. Empathetic individuals are better equipped to validate the emotions of others and respond with compassion.

“Empathy is the ability to feel with another person. It means to sense the hurt in another person and respond with care,”says Carl Rogers.

3. Emotional Regulation: Managing one’s emotions in healthy ways is vital for maintaining positive interactions in relationships. Individuals with high EI can calm themselves in stressful moments, avoid escalation during conflicts, and communicate their feelings constructively. Emotional regulation is essential for reducing tension and promoting emotional stability.

”The ability to manage your emotions in healthy ways is essential for maintaining balance in relationships,”says Daniel Goleman.

4. Social Skills: Effective communication and the ability to manage social interactions are fundamental aspects of emotional intelligence. Strong social skills help individuals express themselves clearly, listen actively, and respond appropriately to the needs of others. These skills are critical in maintaining harmony, especially in intimate relationships where misunderstandings and miscommunication can cause significant strain.

“The key to managing conflict in a relationship is not avoiding it, but how you handle it when it arises,”says John Gottman.

5. Conflict Resolution: Emotional intelligence provides individuals with the tools to manage and resolve conflicts constructively. People with high EI are more likely to approach disputes with a problem-solving mindset rather than becoming defensive or aggressive. They understand the emotional undercurrents of the conflict and work collaboratively toward a solution, fostering greater understanding and connection.

“In relationships, the ability to negotiate and resolve conflicts is one of the most important skills we can develop,”says Daniel Goleman.

Emotional Intelligence in Romantic Relationships

In romantic relationships, emotional intelligence is particularly important because it affects how partners connect, communicate, and manage challenges together. Couples with high EI tend to have healthier relationships, marked by greater intimacy, understanding, and a deeper emotional connection. They are more likely to resolve disagreements calmly and constructively, without resorting to toxic patterns like blame or defensiveness.Studies on Emotional Intelligence and Relationship Satisfaction have shown that individuals with higher levels of emotional intelligence tend to experience greater satisfaction in their relationships, whether romantic, familial, or professional. These individuals possess the emotional awareness and communication skills needed to navigate difficult situations with empathy, mutual respect, and problem-solving strategies.

Emotional Intelligence and Parent-Child Relationships

Emotional intelligence is also important in parent-child relationships. Parents with high EI are more likely to understand and validate their children’s emotions, fostering a secure attachment and emotional resilience in the child. By modeling emotional regulation and empathetic communication, emotionally intelligent parents provide children with the tools to navigate their own emotions and relationships. “Emotional intelligence begins with self-awareness, but it develops through nurturing, positive relationships, especially with caregivers,”says Daniel Goleman.

Emotional intelligence is integral to the success of relationships, whether romantic, familial, or professional. The ability to be self-aware, empathize with others, regulate emotions, communicate effectively, and resolve conflicts in a healthy way are all skills that contribute to the overall health and satisfaction of relationships. Psychologists like Daniel Goleman, Carl Rogers, and John Gottman have highlighted the importance of these emotional competencies in creating strong, supportive, and lasting connections.

Overall, emotional intelligence is not only important for individual well-being but is also for building and maintaining meaningful relationships that thrive on mutual respect, understanding, and emotional connection.

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Kristof Kocs, Co-President of the Student Advisory Council, is a senior student majoring in Political Science with minors in Journalism and History. Alongside him is his long-time friend and Co-President, Nicholas Trunecz, who is also in his final year, majoring in Political Science with a minor in Economics.Both served as Peer Mentors in the past, inspiring them to aim for a higher leadership role in the spring of 2024. In this interview, we will explore Nicholas and Kristof’s experiences and motivations as SAC Presidents, as they believe that “the best you can do is just do things” while delving into their plans for the year, their goals for the student body, and the personal backgrounds that shape their leadership style.

Géczi: Why did you choose to run for SAC presidency?

Trunecz: I was the one who started that process at the end of last fall (2023). Originally, I just thought it would look good on a resume, and then we received more motivation and convinced him (Kocs) to join.

Kocs: That’s true. I was studying at the Westminster campus last fall, and I became involved in helping people there, study-abroads, and advertising the Budapest campus. When I returned, I just loved this sort of position, and I instantly became a peer mentor. He (Trunecz) convinced me that’s true, to run on a joint ticket for the presidency.

Géczi: How come you ran for the position together?

Trunecz: The tradition has been for a while that there are two SAC presidents, and experience shows that one person cannot do this job.

Kocs: I absolutely agree with Nicholas. It was two years ago that the Vice President and the President became two Presidents. They could divide the tasks equally, they are two different people, just like Nicholas and I. He has slightly different views on things; he’s the German calmness, I’m a little more Eastern European sometimes, and of course, the American. It’s kind of an interesting mix, and we thought it was better.

Géczi: It was the first time that you did the campaign together, right?

Kocs: Yes, this was the first time when it was instantly two people aiming for the presidency.

Trunecz: Chances are this will be the new standard.

Géczi: How would you evaluate the work of the SAC this semester (Fall 2024)?

Kocs: I think we had a fantastic and pretty successful semester. We had the fascinating Thanksgiving Gala, we successfully created a SAC Constitution, we have policies laid down, and we have people attending the events.  We organized smaller and larger scale events, and students suddenly became interested in joining the SAC and participating in the events. I’m really proud of the SAC Team we have this semester; I think we all are fantastic people. We treat everyone as equal. Even though there are Presidents and Communication Officers, I think everyone is equally important, and everyone has an equal voice in the decisions.

Trunecz: It has to be admitted I believe the workload has been a bit more than what we expected. It is a bit difficult to manage.

Géczi: Paperwork? Or what type of workload?

Trunecz: All of it, in general.

Kocs: Yeah, the paperwork is a little more, too. The SAC that we know today is completely different than it used to be before Covid, especially. There were three different positions: SAC, Peer Mentors, and Student Ambassadors.

Trunecz: But the borders between these were very vague, to put it mildly.

Kocs: Since the end of Covid, these emerged into one, which we know today as SAC. We have more responsibilities, not to mention the number of duties that we receive from the administration, specifically Henrietta, working with the study-abroad students.  Next semester is going to be a little easier now that we know what to expect and how to handle things.

Trunecz: Given the fact that we are both graduating, as well as 2-3 other members of the SAC, it will be an interesting semester.

Géczi: How could you increase student involvement in activities/programs?

Trunecz: The best you can do is just do things; you know. If we start a tradition, for example, the art club that Alexa (Peer Mentor) started if you just give up because the first time around, two people showed up only, you’re not going to get far. Of course, advertising is very important, and we have some good communication people now who are doing a great job. Putting up posters in the classroom has proven effective.

Géczi: Which is better: social media advertising or posters?

Kocs: I think both are equally important, but with the posters, the good thing is that you instantly see them. What I would also add to Nicholas’ remark is approachability. SAC members should be approachable from the very beginning, so what we did was we were really approachable during the first weeks for Freshmen and study-abroad students. They obviously got to know us very well; we built trust with them. This way, they have more willingness to participate in the events. With the upper-class students, it’s the same; we are approachable whenever they have any questions.

Géczi: I think it comes down to the fact that you guys are very open, so people aren’t afraid to ask. Moving on, for the Spring 2025 semester, what are your main goals?

Trunecz: We haven’t looked too far into the future, however,of course, we ought to organize another event on the scale of the recent Thanksgiving Gala. We could organize more trips outside the campus, within Hungary, as well as outside. Perhaps going to Croatia, Italy, or somewhere in May.

Kocs: Also, for the smaller scale events, we’re definitely going to have Art & Wine Night and organize something for the International Day that has been a great tradition. We want to bring back a tradition, the seniors/graduates dinner. There is a little personal motivation behind it. It’s been a tradition that existed for many years; it’s important for the graduates.

Géczi: Is it hard to tackle being president as well as your final years of studies?

Trunecz: Not yet we’ll come back to that next semester.

Kocs: It can be sometimes stressful, but I like it. Especially orientation week, which is a lot of work. I remember one-day last year, we worked 16-18 hours straight. After you finish the event and you have this fantastic product that you’ve created, it feels great.

Géczi: Kristof, you have been to the American Campus, as far as I know, you (Nicholas) didn’t go, right?

Trunecz: No, well, while the original plan was to go in my junior year, which is now, but then I had a bunch of entanglements here like the SAC, and I decided to finish a year early, so that doesn’t work out.

Géczi: How was your (Kocs) experience there at Westminster?

Kocs: I really loved it, thank you for the question. I feel like if students have the opportunity and resources to travel there and study there, even if it’s just one semester or a year, they should definitely take this opportunity. That’s a different campus; it’s bigger, more professors, and it’s more American, to say the least. It’s located in a rural area. Ultimately, it’s a great way to extend your view and learn about things that you might not be able to learn here at the Budapest campus, though we still have a lot of visiting professors. We will have a visiting professor next semester, take that class!

Géczi: You both study political science, what aspects of politics or international relations are you interested in?

Trunecz: Currently, given that we are at an American College, US foreign policy, and also domestic politics, you might as well.

Kocs: Honestly, I’m also a little interested in US politics but more Central European politics. We are living in the heart of Europe since I grew up in Hungary, I’m interested in what will happen to this country. I’m going to do my thesis on nationalism in Central Europe.

Géczi: Lastly, what are your plans after graduating?

Trunecz: There are two institutions that are my top two: the School of International Studies in Vienna and the University of Lucerne in Switzerland. Now, the Vienna program is specifically tailored to train people for the foreign service, which would be excellent because that’s step three: joining the foreign service in Germany. In Lucerne, they have a political science master’s dual program together with the University of Carleton in Canada.

Kocs: Previously, I was also leaning towards going for a master’s, but now I’m more and more interested in starting to work instead. I’ve been looking into several job opportunities in multiple fields. The US embassy, I did an internship over there if they had an opportunity, I’d instantly take that also NGOs. Maybe later on, do a master’s.

Géczi: Thank you guys so much!

Kocs & Trunecz: Thank you!

Note: This interview was conducted in December 2024.

Photo by Anna Horváth

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Hallucinations, sensory experiences that appear real but are created by the mind, are often associated with mental illness, drug use, or neurological disorders. However, they are more complex than simply being symptoms of pathology. The psychology of hallucination delves into how and why these experiences occur, how they are interpreted, and what they reveal about the brain’s perception and cognition processes.

Hallucinations are defined as perceptual experiences that occur without an external stimulus. They can involve any of the five senses, like auditory hallucinations (hearing voices or sounds that aren’t there), which are the most common; visual hallucinations (seeing things that don’t exist); Tactile hallucinations (feeling sensations that have no physical source); and Olfactory and gustatory hallucinations (smelling or tasting things that aren’t present), which are less common but still significant. These experiences are often vivid and seem entirely real to the person experiencing them, creating a challenge for both the individual and those around them in distinguishing between reality and the hallucination. “Hallucinations could be expressions of repressed desires or unconscious thoughts,” said Sigmund Freud.

At the core of hallucinations lies the brain’s complex mechanisms of perception and interpretation. The brain continuously processes information from the senses, creating a seamless experience of the external world. However, hallucinations disrupt this process. There are several potential causes for this disruption, which are:

1. Sensory deprivation: When sensory input is limited or cut off (e.g., in darkness, isolation, or under extreme stress), the brain may “fill in the gaps” with internally generated imagery or sounds. This can explain why solitary confinement or prolonged sensory isolation can lead to hallucinations.

2. Neuro-chemical imbalance: Hallucinations are often linked to changes in neurotransmitters—chemical messengers in the brain. For example, dopamine, which is associated with pleasure and reward, has been implicated in the hallucinations experienced by those with schizophrenia. Similarly, drugs like LSD or psilocybin alter serotonin pathways, which can lead to vivid visual hallucinations. Research has shown that psychedelics can produce similar effects in healthy individuals, leading scientists to investigate their potential for unlocking new insights into consciousness.

3. Brain areas involved: Brain regions such as the temporal lobes, parietal lobes, and prefrontal cortex are involved in perception, reality testing, and cognitive processing. Activity or dysfunction in these areas—whether due to neurological disease, trauma, or drug use—can lead to the generation of hallucinations. Studies using imaging technology, like fMRI, have shown increased activity in the auditory areas of the brain during auditory hallucinations in individuals with schizophrenia.

4. Memory and expectation: Sometimes, hallucinations can be influenced by a person’s expectations or prior experiences. The brain might rely on past memories or cultural influences to create vivid sensory experiences that seem to correspond to a perceived threat or emotional need. For example, individuals under extreme stress may hallucinate a loved one’s voice or presence, providing comfort or a sense of control in a frightening situation.

Hallucinations are of different types, and they have some psychological implications, which are mostly categorised based on the underlying cause, which include:

• Psychotic Hallucinations: These are typically seen in conditions like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or severe depression. In these cases, the hallucinations are often not just isolated sensory experiences but part of a broader disruption in reality perception. People may hear voices that command them to act in certain ways or experience paranoia. The psychological impact can be intense, causing distress, confusion, and a loss of connection to external reality.

• Hypnagogic hallucinations: These are sleep-related hallucinations that occur when falling asleep (hypnagogic) or waking up (hypnopompic). They often involve vivid imagery or sounds, and in some cases, people might confuse them with reality. They are not necessarily pathological but can be distressing. These types of hallucinations are particularly interesting from a psychological perspective, as they suggest that the boundaries between waking and dreaming states are more fluid than typically thought.

• Substance-induced hallucinations: Drugs, particularly psychedelics (e.g., LSD, psilocybin, and mescaline), as well as certain medications and alcohol withdrawal, can cause hallucinations. These experiences may alter perception, induce a sense of altered reality, and provoke intense emotional responses. Though these hallucinations may not always reflect underlying psychiatric pathology, they highlight the mind’s malleability and the brain’s capacity to distort sensory input.

• Cultural and religious hallucinations: In some cultures, hallucinations are considered spiritual or mystical experiences. People might report seeing or communicating with deities, spirits, or ancestors. While these experiences might be interpreted as religious or supernatural, from a psychological standpoint, they offer insights into how culture and belief systems can shape the content of hallucinations. In this sense, hallucinations may not just be random misfirings of the brain but reflections of deeply ingrained cognitive frameworks.

The emotional and cognitive responses to hallucinations can vary widely, and they depend on the context in which they occur. For some individuals, hallucinations are terrifying and disorienting, leading to anxiety, confusion, or distress. In other cases, they can be benign or even pleasant experiences—such as in the case of some mild, non-psychotic hallucinations that are triggered by sleep deprivation, fever, or meditation. The psychological impact is often tied to whether the individual believes the hallucinations are real and whether they have the cognitive ability to “reality test” their experiences. People who experience hallucinations often struggle with distinguishing between what is real and what is imagined.

Conversely, individuals with a higher degree of insight into their condition may experience their hallucinations with more curiosity or detachment, trying to understand or interpret them rather than being overwhelmed by them. This suggests that psychological resilience, coping strategies, and even one’s belief systems can play a key role in how hallucinations are experienced and interpreted.

Hallucinations can be treated by addressing the underlying cause, whether it is a mental health disorder, neurological condition, or substance use. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is often employed to help individuals develop skills for managing distressing hallucinations, especially in conditions like schizophrenia. Medications such as antipsychotics are frequently prescribed to help regulate neurotransmitter imbalances and reduce the frequency and intensity of hallucinations. However, the psychological nature of hallucinations means that treatment often also involves helping individuals rebuild their sense of reality. Reality testing techniques can be used to help patients assess whether their experiences are consistent with external reality, and mindfulness practices can help reduce the emotional distress that often accompanies hallucinations.

In conclusion, hallucinations represent a fascinating intersection of perception, cognition, and psychology. While they are often seen as abnormal or pathological experiences, they reveal much about how the brain constructs reality. Whether caused by sensory deprivation, chemical imbalances, or intense psychological states, hallucinations challenge our understanding of what it means to perceive the world around us. By studying the psychology of hallucination, we gain a deeper insight into the intricate and mysterious workings of the human mind.

Photos by Ameerah Auwal Muhammad

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