About Us
As I bask in the glorious 65-degree weather on the lawn outside of Stokes Hall, I watch the numerous students on the lawn soaking in the sun with me, the people walking by, the couples giggling and holding hands, and friends throwing a frisbee around.
Yes, I’m people watching. Creepy? A little. Entertaining, interesting, and thought-provoking? Definitely.
It’s times like these when I realize that I’m not the center of the universe, that I’m not the only one who thinks actively, and that we’re all in the same boat to a certain extent. Many of us go through life without realizing that the people around us have minds of their own and that they’re not simply making a cameo in our lives.
It usually takes retreats or “girl talk” sessions for me to realize that there’s always more to people than what you see on the surface. Most of us need to be reminded that behind a strong front, the people around us may be going through something. Sometimes, we even become these people who plaster a smile on their faces to mask their inner pain. Whether it’s because we feel our troubles are miniscule, or because we don’t want to burden anyone else with our problems, or for the simple reason that we don’t want to come off as dramatic, we’re tempted to bury our problems. While I keep a personal blog, some confide in a journal, and others confess on Boston College Confessions.
It’s been two months since BC Confessions has come to life and its popularity has yet to die down. Whether it’s because people enjoy knowing secrets, or because it’s fun to live vicariously through others, or because we hope to see our names in one of the shout outs, people keep coming back to the page hoping to see new confessions. Although the page was intended for people to anonymously express secrets, BC Confessions isn’t restricted to the deep secrets that some users have kept bottled up. Rather, it has grown to be a page that’s open to complimentary shout outs, jokes and movie references as well. And while some find the shout outs, jokes and references inappropriate for the page, I think it’s a nice way to break the heavy atmosphere once in a while.
While the idea of the page is great (providing a safe space for anyone to express their minds and get feedback/support from their peers), the page isn’t perfect. Not everyone gives wonderful feedback to those who confess their deepest, darkest secrets. Sometimes people brush off the confessions or even post rude comments. These heartless and discouraging posts ruin the “sanctity” of the BC Confessions page. Not the jokes or the shout outs, but the students who are unable to support a peer with a simple word of encouragement. Furthermore, we have absolutely no idea who we’re sending these confessions to. As far as we know, there are some BC students who hold all of our secrets and can expose us any time they wanted to. And if all 6000-plus confessions were to be exposed, BC would turn into a huge version of the scene from “Mean Girls” when Regina George exploits everybody.
Despite its faults, BC Confessions has been a source of entertainment and somewhat of a virtual retreat for me. While the occasional humorous confessions bring a smile to my face, the more serious confessions show me that I need to resist making rash judgments. The page reminds me that, for the most part, we’re all going through something. It shows me that we’re all human and we need a shoulder to lean on (or a Facebook page to confess to). It reinforces my belief that my school is filled with great, caring, and loving people.
So, whether you hate it or love it, I LOVE IT. Despite its flaws, I think it’s great. Not just because I like to have a good laugh once in a while, but because it's nice to see that everyone is capable of talking about their struggles, and it proves that cliques are pointless. It can be a great daily reminder that we’re a lot more similar than we think, and that is a small, virtual step towards becoming a unified student body.
