This week I had the privilege of interviewing our very own McGill Compliments. Read on to find out exactly what is, what it does and who it is.
Her Campus McGill: What is McGill Compliments (for readers who don’t know)?
McGill Compliments (MC): McGill Compliments is a Facebook profile that serves as a forum for students to anonymously compliment other McGillians, and spread positivity throughout the McGill community.
HC McGill: When did you decide on creating McGill compliments?
MC: I started McGill Compliments during early December 2012.
HC McGill: Why did you start the movement?
MC: I came across a compliment posted about a friend of mine at Columbia University through their Compliments profile. After that, I knew this idea had to be brought over to our campus.
HC McGill: What is the process of getting a compliment posted? In other words, how do you choose or pick the compliments that get posted and that don’t (if you do)?
MC: People send me their compliments through Facebook inbox and I post them while tagging the recipient. Submissions containing offensive language, spam, or trolling/joke content are not posted.
HC McGill: Do you think universities communities need to be more in the atmosphere of compliments?
MC: Actually, the movement has gotten pretty huge. At the initiative’s peak, there were Compliments profiles for over 150 schools across the U.S., Canada, and even internationally in schools located in areas such as Edinburgh, Singapore, and Nottingham.
HC McGill: What is the meaning of McGill Compliments for you?
MC: I feel like everyone needs to hear good things every once in a while, and sometimes people lose their sense of positivity in our stressful lives, what with finals, papers, the cold, the snow, student politics, etc. This is just an outlet for people to tell others, without the possibility of judgment, what they think of them, whether they’re your best friends or you’ve never talked to them before.
Sometimes I get asked, “why anonymously?” If someone has something nice to say to someone, they should say it to their face.” I believe anonymity gives more power to the message and the words themselves — without a face to the compliment, there is no way the submitter could be seen as having ulterior motives or reasons (such as building a closer relationship with the recipient or making themselves look good). This also nullifies any possible awkwardness — there is just the recipient and their positive qualities that are being recognized by those around him/her.
HC McGill: How will you carry on this page after graduation?
MC: There is still time before that happens, so I have not thought about it too much yet. I probably will pass on the management of the page to some friends who will still be around.
HC McGill: What would you like McGill Compliments to accomplish or change?
MC: There is not much I could think of that I would like to see changed about our campus community, at least not through Compliments. My goal with this page is to simply raise and bolster each others’ spirits, as well as create a network on campus where every student feels connected to each other, even in times of high stress or hardship — because we’re all part of the same community.
HC McGill: When do you receive the most compliments? Is it during a specific holiday time or something?
MC: Definitely finals season! ;)
HC McGill: Last, but not least who are you? (…only if you want to answer )
MC: Maybe sometime before graduation, but we’ll see. I guess I can say Male, U2, Psychology Major
Speed round
Pups or kittens: Pups! (huskies to be exact)
Halloween or Christmas: Halloween (but really Thanksgiving or Chanukkah)
Oreos or chocolate chip: Chocolate chip
Favorite power couple: Frank and Claire Underwood
Girl celebrity crush: Margot Robbie (Wolf of Wall Street)
Guy celebrity crush: Harrison Ford
Favorite Montréal spot: …Gerts
Favorite language: Italian
And finally compliments or kisses: Compliments, THEN kisses
Images obtained from: https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/t1.0-9/535584_107…