2022 LSU Gumbo - Book - Page 193
Yik Yak has taken LSU by storm and become the
new must-have app on campus.
Yik Yak, which relaunched this year after shutting
down in 2017, allows users to anonymously post
anything that comes into their heads. The posts are
only shared with those in a five–mile radius, making
content locally relevant. The anonymity and schoolspecific aspects of Yik Yak at LSU draw similarities to
“Gossip Girl,” a show where anonymous posts about
people and school activities create drama among
students.
The main features available to users are the ability
to upvote, downvote or comment on a post depending
on your reaction. This app can be used for pure
entertainment, as it allows people to post whatever
their heart desires.
“I think it’s hilarious, and it’s a fun way to joke
around with random people,” said psychology senior
Zoë Kim.
Being able to post whatever you want while staying
anonymous comes with a downside: since no one
knows users’ identity, some get a feeling of power that
they can say whatever they want, even if it will hurt
someone else. A lot of the comments can come off as
comical, but many comments feature vulgar language
and could possibly be hurtful.
Navy Coggins, a pre-med kinesiology junior, has
become familiar with the harmful side of Yik Yak.
Coggins downloaded the app due to its popularity but
then things soon turned ugly once he realized people
were posting about him.
“It was really weird to see hundreds of anonymous
people saying things about me on the app,” Said
Coggins on his experience. Anonymity breeds this
kind of behavior in people. It’s so easy to hide behind
a screen, and because messages aren’t tied to any
particular account, it allows people to say whatever
they want without the fear of repercussions.” Coggins
decided to take this opportunity to bring light to how
words can affect someone’s mental health.
“I was tired of people never taking into account how
their actions contribute to people’s depression, anxiety
and even potential suicide,” said Coggins.
After all of this happened, he decided to post on his
Instagram about how people should take into account
other people’s mental health when posting on social
media.
“I saw my post as an opportunity to finally show
people that what they’re saying on Yik Yak might not
be taken as a joke if they targeted the wrong person,”
said Coggins.
Many still enjoy using this app because a majority of
the post are harmless and are just there for everyone’s
entertainment.
“Personally, I think it’s really entertaining and
always gives me a good laugh. However, some of the
posts are a little harsh and it might make people feel
bad,” said kinesiology pre-pharmacy senior, Emma
Roehm.
Yik Yak can also be a quality, constantly updated
information source.
“The app manages to be chaotic, entertaining and
informative all at once,” said construction management
senior Jason Babb.
This app has the potential to be useful while still
being interesting because it gives you an entertaining
introduction to LSU; school has just begun, so some
tips have been posted for how to be a successful LSU
student. While these tips may have a funny twist to
them, they still provide insight on useful subjects.
Users of the app give reviews on courses, inform
students where to find cheap textbooks and give
updates for parking availability on campus, all of which
are helpful to students.
I am excited to see what happens with this app
throughout the school year. I wonder if it will blow up
like TikTok and become everyone’s gathering place for
entertainment and information, or if it will slowly fade
off and be a memory of the past.
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