I’m sure most people have heard of Postsecret.com and I’m also
sure there are a lot of people who, like me, wish new anonymous letters
were posted online more often than just every Sunday. Well, I think we have
something even better that is updated every day right on campus. The Angell
Hall bathrooms. I realize I am probably the last person to notice the
writing and drawings that cover the stall walls, which makes me think I’m
not drinking enough water…but I think it’s awesome how easy it is for
people to respond to one another anonymously, whenever. You can’t tell
where some conversation webs begin or end and they’re eventually just
going to be painted over with another coat of dingy cream paint – but
people have really put some thought into what they’ve written.
Some of the messages complain about the way they paint over the
conversations. One says, “Why erase our writings? Sometimes we need to
talk to one another.” I can’t help wondering if the people who paint
over read the things they’re erasing, or if they ever choose to leave a
certain picture or message up that they like. I, personally, think it’s
important that they paint over and give the walls a fresh start after each
round of writings has had a chance to be read. It just makes more space to
start new conversations.
There were writings on the stalls in the bathrooms of my high school,
but everything was really gossip-y and negative. I was surprised at how
many of the phrases written in Angell were positive. There are
inspirational quotes and uplifting responses everywhere. It’s nice to see
people actually helping one another anonymously instead of bringing each
other down. I think this is only possible in a setting like the bathroom
stalls, where you have to make an effort to go in, write, and where you can
see the actual handwritten responses you receive. It’s not like anonymous
websites, like collegeacb.com (RIP, but not actually) where anyone can type
in whatever from their computer and not see the consequences that are tied
to real people. The bathroom stalls each tell a story or many stories and
they’re worth reading (or even better, adding your own).