YikYak told me to drop out.
First they came for the SafeZone app, and I did not speak out – because I never even downloaded it.
Then they came for the Blue Lights, and I did not speak out – because they didn’t work in the first place.
Then they created SafeUTulsa, and I did not speak out – because it was not the best source of news.
Then they came for YikYak – and there was no one left to speak for me.
Recently when many of us received an email from the president of our great university, it was moved into the deleted folder faster than TU Lights On runs out of shirts. But I chose to be different and actually read the email. What I found shocked me to the core — YikYak erasure is rampant throughout The University of Tulsa administration. President Carson listed many of the features that are on the Safe UTulsa app, but I have found through extensive research that not only does YikYak beat Safe UTulsa on all of its self-proclaimed wins but also the user interface does not blind me with its grotesque colors when opened in a dimly lit room. In the provided email, Carson lays out a bulleted list of what they consider the top concerns of Tulsa Students. The first one that jumped out at me was the last point, “report suspicious behavior or criminal activity.” Which begs the question: what is the reason for having a portal to report these things when YikYak has a public messaging board where members regularly proclaim their own guilt in a myriad of both insane and unhinged ways. Another reason to download the newest software disaster built by the university was the access to mental health services, and again I have personally seen numerous requests for declining mental health on YikYak be answered by a range of professionals that have given answers such as, “Have you tried drinking more?” and “If your class is stressing you out, just drop out.” If we move all of our mental health services to a different app we are depriving University of Tulsa students from a wealth of extensive knowledge.
Years ago the University of Tulsa campus was terrorized by a purple-haired fugitive running rampant, and when the information coming in was lackluster I looked towards the only source of real news. YikYak provided me with accurate and up to date pictures of the shooter, peoples cats and even more devious activities. When I struggled to find the safety plans for the situation, YikYak advised me to find the woman and proffer her a big hug alongside giving up and walking to the Bucc. It really is understated how helpful the great people of YikYak are to students, and I truly believe that the next app in a long line of so-called useful University of Tulsa apps will not overshadow that helpfulness.
