In the past year or so, a growing Internet phenomena has caught my eye. At first when I noticed it, I shrugged and said “Huh, interesting. Okay, whatever” and moved on with my life. In the past few months however, this “phenomena” makes me roll my eyes as I scroll past.
OPEN LETTERS
To be clear, “open letters” are intended to be letters addressing a person or group, but intended for publication. There are legitimate, well-written “open letters” (like Apple’s open letter to consumers). Recently, every “open letter” I see reposted on my timeline is a person’s passive-aggressive or heartfelt message to an ex, a parent, a sibling, a high school friend, a college friend, the person crossing the street, the person buying coffee at Dunkin… do you see my point? I’ve possibly seen an open letter applicable to any and every situation ever and I think it REALLY defeats the purpose of these “open letters”. If you have something to say to someone, just say it instead of reposting it in a not-so-subtle way. Life is short- be to the point.
That being said, while there are hundreds of open letters to particular groups of people, I think we have missed the most important and specific open letters that we would actually appreciate seeing on our timelines…
1. An open letter to UMaine snowdays.
WHAT ARE THOOOOOOSE
2. An open letter to the person that says they’ll buy the next round after this one, but doesn’t.
“I think I’m going to get another drink.” “Cool I’ll wait here.” – Guess this isn’t the next round then?
3. An open letter to the person that asks to go somewhere…then doesn’t drive there.
Sure! Hop in my passenger seat for this adventure I never intended on taking!
4. An open letter to the person that won’t cover a shift, but asks to be covered the next day.
Sure, I would work for you if I had been able to get all of the work and essays I could have done yesterday if you had worked for me.
5. An open letter to the people that loyally like every Instagram photo, but avoid eye contact in real life.
I’m not that filtered. Say hi back to me.
6. An open letter to people that say “You look so tired!!”
It’s 2016. This is something that nobody wants to hear, especially college students that get hardly half the recommended amount of sleep.
7. An open letter to the classmate that asks, “Have you started the paper?”
No one needs that kind of negativity.
8. An open letter to all the adults that ask about plans after graduation.
Idk. I didn’t know graduating high school. I thought I might have known after my first year. I don’t know now. I don’t think I’ll know when I’m doing it.
9. An open letter to the friend that unexpectedly hands a shot at the bar.
You’re real enough to know that I don’t need it, but you give it to me anyway.
10. An open letter to the person that asks “Is that what you’re wearing tonight?”
It looked better in my head!!
11. A final open letter to all of those that repost open letters.
Please stop.