Confess more

Everyone loves gossip. It’s human nature. Well, except when it may be about them…

A new Facebook page, FSU Confessions, has attracted a large crowd of followers among Ferris students. Submissions are sent in via an anonymous form and then posted at a later time for other users to comment/like. The page currently has over 2,500 likes on Facebook, with an active community of commenters participating in every post.

Many comments I’ve heard from others about the site question how much truth makes up the posts. Through such an anonymous forum, there will obviously be some that are made up for entertainment. But even if a fraction of what’s been shared is true, that’s an incredible look inside the collective student body of our university.

Several of the recurring topics that have arisen on such a venue have involved the Greek community, students who enjoy large trucks and the promiscuous students among us. But the number of attacking and defending statements being made by commenters is where reality steps in.

One recurrent theme that shows up often includes the number of attacks toward confessions about women who have multiple partners. Words like “whore” and “slut” flow freely in these situations and even toward a confession where the individual admitted to having three abortions in her time at Ferris. And while some comments suggested using birth control, a majority focused around berating the individual for her past.

When it comes to any posts about Greeks, the collective community comes out to defend their organizations tooth and nail and/or they talk down to other students as GDI (God Damn Independents). And, once again, a few are logical with their arguments in saying Greek life isn’t for everyone, and everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Sadly, those words are overshadowed by individuals who end up giving Greeks a bad name, continuing the vicious cycle of Greek/Non-Greek anti-relations.

Several confessions involve suicidal thoughts or other cries for help. These submissions have been answered with fellow students referring themselves for anyone in need of someone to talk to, as well as references to the Counseling Center.

The amount of outcry against such a page being up in the first place comes from those who say it gives the university a bad name, but I would argue that it serves a role in our university community to open our eyes to how our student body actually is.

By removing the blinders, this page has shown us that we are all still college students. By nature, we all have had our moments of stupidity that we may have told a trusted few. FSU Confessions, much like the other confession pages that have swept different universities all over the world, gives a look into the modern college student—however ridiculous and out-there as that notion may be.

While this page will inevitably be another fad to rise and then no doubtingly fall, another page will soon gain stream and captivate the attention and fervor of the community.

To visit the Facebook page, visit FSU Confessions.