27 AUG
YikYak told me to get off.
First they came because of the SafeZone app, and I didn’t say anything – because I hadn’t even downloaded it.
Then they came because of the blue lights and I didn’t say anything – because they didn’t work in the first place.
Then they created SafeUTulsa, and I didn’t say anything about it because it wasn’t the best news source.
Then they came to get YikYak – and there was no one left to speak for me.
When many of us recently received an email from the president of our great university, it was moved to the deleted folder faster than TU Lights On runs out of shirts. But I decided to be different and actually read the email. What I found shocked me to the core—YikYak deletions are rampant throughout the University of Tulsa administration. President Carson listed many of the features included in the Safe UTulsa app, but I’ve found through extensive research that not only does YikYak outperform Safe UTulsa in all of its self-proclaimed ways, but its interface doesn’t blind me with its grotesque colors when I open it in a dimly lit room. In the email provided, Carson lays out a bullet point list of what she believes are the most important concerns facing Tulsa students. The first thing that caught my eye was the final bullet point: “Report suspicious behavior or criminal activity.” That begs the question: What’s the point of having a portal to report such things when YikYak has a public message board where members regularly profess their own guilt in countless wacky and insane ways? Another reason to download the university’s latest software disaster was to access mental health services, and I’ve personally seen numerous queries about declining mental health answered on YikYak by a range of professionals who gave answers like “Have you tried drinking more?” and “If your studies are stressing you out, just drop out.” If we move all of our mental health services to another app, we’re depriving University of Tulsa students of a wealth of comprehensive knowledge.
Years ago, the University of Tulsa campus was terrorized by a purple-haired fugitive who was wandering wild. When incoming information was scant, I looked for the only source of real news. YikYak provided me with accurate and up-to-date images of the shooter, people’s cats, and even more devious activity. When I looked for the security plans for the situation, YikYak advised me to find the woman and give her a big hug instead of giving up and heading to the Bucc. It’s truly an understatement how helpful the great folks at YikYak are to students, and I truly believe the next app in a long line of so-called useful apps from the University of Tulsa won’t outshine that helpfulness.
