In a world with expansive social media options, many college students have found their place. Yik Yak, a location and group-based app where users can comment on and communicate with each other about a wide array of topics, has taken Ursinus students by storm. Users can join groups specific to their college, and Ursinus’ group has already been highly active this semester. The catch, though, is that every user is anonymous. This offers an opportunity for individuals to share their raw opinions, insights, and ideas on a platform that a significant portion of the campus community views. They discuss everything from party locations to food reviews to events going on around campus. Some recent trending posts include the outraged – “Why does upper always gotta lie to my face about what pizza they got” – and the more humorous, “Ain’t no way wis played the titanic song and then switched up to In Da Club right after,” among other hilarious hot takes.
As one can imagine, Yik Yak has become a form of entertainment for many Ursinus students. I interviewed an avid Yik Yak user here at Ursinus, and he had a lot to say about the topic. When asked if he thinks Yik Yak has had a positive impact on our college community, he simply says, “Honestly, no. It’s not meant to be taken seriously; it’s just jokes and commentary. If you take it seriously it can be harmful, but if you take it as it is, no harm is done and everyone’s happy.” Many sports teams have been a hot topic among Yik Yak users. I asked him if he thinks Yik Yak’s commentary on sports teams and the players have contributed negatively to the public’s view of those teams. He remarked, “In the grand scheme of things, no, I don’t think it really matters.” I then asked him if he thinks the app has bonded the Ursinus community together in any way, and he replied, “It has kind of bonded the…team together. In some ways, it definitely has bonded our community together. It’s something people can laugh and joke about together.” This thought was something that can resonate with many students around campus, with the commentary regarding the app creating a kind of noticeable camaraderie among friend groups. When I asked the Yik Yak user if he had any last comments about the social media app, he commented, “Don’t take it too seriously, it’s meant to be fun. People should enjoy it as it is and take everything with a grain of salt.” For now, it appears that Yik Yak will remain a hot topic that ties our college community together.