If you’ve logged on to your Facebook within the past few weeks, chances are you’ve seen a few Tulane-oriented new pages – Tulane Compliments, Tulane Confessions, Tulane Crushes, and Tulane Hookups. What’s all the fuss about?
Tulane Compliments started out as a social project at Queen’s College last year. Even though the page has slowed down very recently, it was a huge hit while it was in its prime. Friends (or even strangers on occasion) would send in anonymous compliments to people around campus. Some were funny while others were serious – anything from physical beauty to how someone has made a person’s college experience were fair game. I think this is such a great idea and really wish the monitors would start it up again. I feel like there’s so many things people wish they could say to their friends sometimes but often don’t know how, or just take their friends for granted in general. It’s so easy to get caught up in college life that we often don’t take a minute (literally) to thank the people that mean the most to us for what they do, or just let them know we’re thinking about them at the end of the day.
Recently, the biggest Tulane “fan”-page has been Tulane Confessions. It started out small with funny, random confessions, but gradually became something much deeper. People (anonymously, of course) started confessing to and venting about problems with friends, boyfriends/girlfriends, parents, money, mental illness, and Tulane in general. Needless to say, there’s been a few controversies surrounding some of the harsh and touchy things people have said. College students rarely see life out of their immediate bubble. You get caught up in a routine and surrounded by your own problems – whether big or small – and it’s sometimes hard to realize that the person walking next to you down McAlister could really be having a hard time. It’s easy to assume that you’re the only one who is stressed, upset, depressed, or unhappy about something. If there’s anything I’ve learned from reading some of these confessions, it’s that Tulane students have much more in common than they think; no one is alone in the situation they’re facing. This page has served as a venting mechanism while simultaneously banding together the student body and offering, although unconventional, a support system for those who need it.
(Side note: if you are struggling with anything at all, don’t be ashamed or afraid to make an appointment with CAPS at 504-314-2277. Don’t use your friends as crutches, and get the help you deserve.)
Now onto a lighter note… Tulane Crushes and Tulane Hookups. So many people are intimidated to go up to a cute guy/girl, so Tulane Crushes is perfect for letting someone know you’re into them, minus the pressure and fear of rejection. Similarly is Tulane Hookups, which is growing in popularity, too. Some of the stories on this page are absolutely crazy in a few-too-many-drinks-at-the-Boot way.
I think these pages have added another layer to the Tulane student body. Everyone knows of our “work hard, play hard” reputation, but that’s pretty much the extent of it. These Facebook pages show that Tulane students are funny, smart, loyal, and caring, but can still be unhappy, hard on themselves, anxious, and confused. It may sound cliché, but everyone at this school has a right to let their voice be heard, and I think these pages are the perfect platform to do so.