27 August
YikYak asked me to leave.
At first they were going after the SafeZone app, but I didn't say anything because I'd never even downloaded the app.
Then they went after the blue light and I said nothing because the blue light never worked in the first place.
Then they created SafeUTulsa and I didn't say anything about it because it wasn't the best news source.
Then they came to attack YikYak, and there was no one left to speak for me.
When many of us received an email from the president of our great university recently, it was moved to the deleted folder faster than a TU Lights On shirt disappeared. However, I did something different and actually read the email. What I found was something that truly shocked me: rampant YikYak deletions across the University of Tulsa administration. President Carson listed many features of the Safe UTulsa app, but after thorough research, I found that not only does YikYak beat everything Safe UTulsa claims to do, but the user interface doesn't blind you with grotesque colors when you open it in a dimly lit room. In the email provided to me, President Carson lists in bullet points the things he believes Tulsa students are most concerned about. The first thing that caught my eye was the last one: Report suspicious or criminal activity. Which leads me to the question: What's the point of having a portal to report these things when YikYak has a public message board where members regularly confess their sins in a myriad of insane and outrageous ways? Access to mental health services was another reason to download the latest software disaster the university has built, and I have personally seen various experts respond to numerous requests on YikYak about declining mental health with responses like “Have you tried drinking more?” or “If your classes are stressing you out, just drop out.” Moving all of the mental health services to a separate app would deprive University of Tulsa students of a wealth of knowledge.
A few years ago, the University of Tulsa campus was terrorized by a rampaging purple-haired fugitive. With the lackluster information coming in, I turned to the only real news source. YikYak provided accurate, up-to-date photos of the shooter, people's cats, and even more nefarious activity. As I struggled to find a safe haven in the situation, YikYak advised me to find a woman and hug her, in parallel to giving up and walking to Bucc. It is truly understated how helpful the wonderful people at YikYak are to students. And I truly believe that the next app in the long line of so-called useful apps at the University of Tulsa will not overshadow its usefulness.