By Ellie Smith
Features Editor

On December 5, during second and third period, the juniors and seniors taking a psychology course at Westford Academy filed into the PAC to witness 21 of their peers get hypnotized by hypnotist Jerry Valley.

Valley began his presentation with a short introduction on hypnosis and how it works.

After his introduction, he quickly attempted to hypnotize members of the audience by persuading them into thinking that their clasped hands were permanently locked together, which only worked on about ten students; the students who felt as if their hands were locked were more susceptible to hypnosis.

Valley then began putting the 21 students that sat down on the stage into a state of hypnosis. After successfully hypnotizing 12 of the students, Valley began giving them different scenarios to play out in their minds and getting them to believe that they were actually happening.

First, Valley made the hypnotized students feel extremely hot, which caused participants to vigorously fan themselves. He then made them feel cold, which caused them to rub their arms and legs in an attempt to warm themselves.

Valley then explained that there was a funny movie playing and the group started laughing uncontrollably. He then told them there was a sad movie playing and they proceeded to cry aloud.

Valley also told the group that they were playing an instrument. Many people chose to play the violin while senior Alex Cheng stood up and began playing guitar enthusiastically while walking around the stage. Cheng said that he does not remember most of what happened during the show, however, he is very glad that he participated.

“The show was a really unique and fun experience,” said Cheng. “A couple days prior to the show, my AP Psych class learned a little about hypnosis, but being able to experience it was really neat.”

One of the more comical segments of the show was when the people under hypnosis were told they were Martians who knew the Martian language. Junior Brian Murray was told he was the Martian leader who sings the Martian national anthem. Murray proceeded to sing the anthem and the other students raised their hands in the Martian salute.

Senior Cody Grimm was called to the front of the stage and asked by Valley to say his full name. When asked to give his last name, Grimm could not remember. Valley then told Grimm that a person sitting in the front row took his finger and it was missing. Grimm proceeded to get upset with the person who he thought took his finger and asked him why he would take a person’s finger. Later in the show, Grimm was told he was a Japanese Emperor and spoke what he thought was Japanese to the audience. Like Cheng, Grimm said that he could not remember anything that happened during the show until after when people who were in the audience told him.

“It was amazing. I remember sitting down at the beginning and being totally relaxed. I remember thinking that I wasn’t going to be hypnotized and as soon as that happened I was out of it. The next thing I remember, I was standing in the middle of the crowd at the end. I can’t really recall stuff without someone telling me what happened,” said Grimm.

Senior Marcus Kohnstam was told by Valley that his name was E-I-E-I-O and he became irritated when the audience laughed when he said his new name.

“I remember most things but immediately afterwards things were a bit unclear. The weirdest feeling was when people kept calling me E-I-E-I-O because I still felt like it was my name,” said Kohnstam. 

Another part of the show that was entertaining for the audience was when the group was told that pop star Jennifer Lopez was sitting in the audience and they had to dance for her. The participants showed off for her as they danced to one of her songs.

“I’m so glad I got to try [hypnosis] and and would probably do it again, but hopefully in a different setting…dancing for Jennifer Lopez would probably be less embarrassing afterwards in front of strangers,” said senior Caroline Marhefka.

For the last scenario, Valley told the three girls under hypnosis to go into the audience and kiss on the forehead any boys who were wearing glasses. At the same time, he told the boys in the group to pretend they had a large dog pulling them around the auditorium.

After the show, students who were under hypnosis said they felt relaxed and refreshed despite not truly remembering what exactly they did on stage.

“I felt amazing afterwards, like all my stress had just gone away. I would 100% do it again. It was an amazing opportunity,” said Grimm.

Cheng also felt relaxed as if he had just awoken from a deep sleep, but he also felt slightly confused.

“I felt a little dazed afterwards, a little confused. It was like the feeling you get when you wake up from a nice dream or deep sleep. That being said, I felt very well-rested, like how the hypnotist said we would feel afterwards,” said Cheng.

Members of the audience thoroughly enjoyed the performance as many of them laughed through the majority of the show.

“It was hysterical. I was laughing the entire time. I would definitely want to get hypnotized if I ever have the opportunity in the future,” said junior Kerry Simpson.