Yik Yak - The Hidden UnderBelly of BU

By Midas Leung

If you have ever had a social media account, you would know that anonymity is diametrically opposed to growing your following. Despite this, increasingly more people are opting to stay anonymous for the added benefit of staying unaccountable for the stupidity they post. Enter: Yikyak, basically the 4chan for BU students. Many students use this as a place to vent and release their edgy demons when it comes to campus life. Despite the terms and conditions, Yik Yak is rife with people looking for a relationship or other nefarious needs. It’s hilarious to see people asking for drugs and other illicit things only for others to call them feds looking for their next victim. Not so far off from 4chan experiences. It leads one to wonder when the FBI/CIA will tempt their next BU student into saying something horrific. I mean, it looks as though Yik Yak would be a perfect breeding ground for this—second to 4chan, of course.

But I can tell you when the majority of people are happy and when they are sad. Cases of people complimenting you are nice and all, until it controls your actions. Group polling is used to make important life decisions. A perfect example of this crowd-sourcing would be: “He kissed another girl while he was drunk, Upvote if I should break up with him.” I’m just waiting for the day when someone says the wrong thing and they get found out and chased around. In fact, the same people who would chase them have probably said the same things in their own time.

What’s really great is the horny mfs asking for hook ups and then being downvoted into oblivion. But not all are like that; people posting about their mental troubles have shown how great users are when it comes to supporting those in need. When someone asks for help they usually get some good advice, although most advice is for comic effect. What can’t be helped are the trolls just out to ruin most peoples day. I think everyone is a troll, but their preferences to one topic or another determine how much of a troll they are. Moving on, Yik Yak has been a place for many new jokes relating to BU students. Dangerously crossing the road hoping to get hit by a car in order to get free tuition is either a statement of concern or enjoyment.

It’s nice to know that people from the same place have the same relatable financial problems. This form of encouragement is great; knowing that people are in the same situation makes you want to overcome them and then

gloat at those below you, as is the American way. Funny enough, did you know people who are born rich are more likely to be generous with their money than those who are self-made. The latter are less likely to give up their money because it was through their own hardship that they were able to get where they are. If I were to end this article now, you might be wondering how these previous sentences connect to Yik Yak. I’ll be honest with you, I just got sidetracked and now you guys are on a journey of self exploration the same as I. Let’s continue exploring the culture of Yik Yak.

Many who use it have a sense of community: be it of ethnicity, sports, or social standing. But those who try and stick out too much (i.e. trying to act like a main character) get shut down by downvotes. Overall most of Yik Yak is confessions and mutual understandings of what is going on. Although the people of Yik Yak are diverse there is a consensus of thought. The best part is the talks of “confessions of the dirty minds of Binghamton.” How can the number 1 school of New York known as the PREMIER PUBLIC IVY be filled with such degeneracy?

“But I can tell you when the majority of people are happy and when they are sad.”