Yik Yak, and What Really Happened With the Guy at The Amphitheater

Sometimes you go out looking for a fun experience, and sometimes the fun experience finds you.  

About 6 or 7 months ago Yik Yak became popular on college campuses and at Winthrop University.  Yik Yak is a social media application that allows students to post anonymously and read yaks that are posted in a nearby area.  

For example Winthrop students can read Winthrop yaks because of the radius that surrounds the campus.  

Last April Winthrop students may remember a Yik Yak story about a guy who was at Winthrop's amphitheater and appeared to be crying.  Everyone has their own little ideas about what happened that night, including me.  But I feel like I have a bit more insight than the rest because that person....was me. *gasp*

So for those who think they know what happened and for those who would just like to know, here is what really happened with the guy at the amphitheater.

The week of April 25th last year was a rough time for me.  The campus minister of RUF (a campus ministry I attend) had announced he was leaving for a new job the day before and I was blindsided by it.  I was frustrated, sad and confused.  

Ever since I came to Winthrop, when I need to think, I went to the amphitheater to clear my head.  So on April 25th, 2014 I was in the amphitheater and had just finished reading my Bible and praying.  I decided to pull up Yik Yak on my phone (this is where the fun begins), just to see what people were saying, when I saw this.  

followed immediately by

What I hadn't realized is two girls had been sitting at the bottom of the amphitheater the whole time.  I was happy they were concerned about me, but did not want to make a big deal out of anything so I 'upped' the yaks and refreshed my feed.  Here are the responses to the above yaks.

Wow.  People seemed to be getting legitimately concerned.  I didn't need anyone in their pajamas coming to check on me, because it wasn't that big of a deal, so I made the comment above.

As posts continued to come in I figured it would be best to 'attempt' to let people know what actually happened.   

It is worth noting that some of the other posts this night were downright strange as well.  One even included a potato going through an identity crisis. 

Regardless, here are the responses to my Yak.  

After a minute or two the two girls got up, which made me think they were coming to talk to me.  As I tried to prepare myself for the upcoming conversation, Girl 1 looked at Girl 2 and said something along the lines of, "Hey look, watch this!"  (<----This quote never ends well)

Girl 1 then ran toward a large tree, which had a branch hanging fairly close to the ground.  She tried to jump on the underside of the branch, much like a sloth, which resulted in this. 

Later Girl 1 reveled herself on Yik Yak 

This night was far from ordinary and was beginning to seem a bit unreal.  

For the next hour Yik Yak was flooded with posts about what was happening at the amphitheater.  

First let's start with the people that were curious as to what was going on.

And here are the responses from people who thought they knew exactly what was going on.  

What's funny about all these posts is that nobody had come and talked to me. 

 I can only imagine that from the perspective of the average Yik Yak user at Winthrop I was a severely depressed individual bawling my eyes out in the amphitheater, when all of a sudden a large group of people came over to console me, making me feel extremely uncomfortable.  

Next are the yaks from the sappy, heart warmed individuals who were proud of their school, which also resulted in some confusion about the school newspaper.  

(Replies below)

At this point, I lost it.  I'm not sure I've laughed so hard in my life.  Nobody had any idea what was going on, yet everyone thought they did.  

Next came the dude who actually asked "Winthrop has an amphitheater? Where?"

Then along came someone who actually had some idea what happened, but we will come back to that.  

About 45 minutes had passed at this point.  I was still sitting at the top of the amphitheater laughing at the social media insanity unfolding before me.  

Then, to make things crazier, about 8 or 9 people showed up with a boom box and started dancing.

I posted this, which then turned the amphitheater story into PARTY AT THE AMPHITHEATER.  

Everyone was obviously at the amphitheater (or not).

No beer ever made it over, in fact, I'm pretty sure nobody who said they would come on Yik Yak actually came.  Nobody came and talked to me and nobody actually knew what was going on.  

Now this is not to bash people for not coming and talking to me because I probably wouldn't have talked to me either.  But why is that?  

The simple answer is it's awkward and uncomfortable.  My question is, what if it had been someone who actually needed help?  Would anyone have come and talked to that person? 

 Yik Yak, while it somehow united people and made them feel good for a night is just a screen for people to hide behind and say things anonymously.  I'm pretty sure most of the things people say they are going to do on Yik Yak don't actually happen.  

Here is my ultimate example.  On some of the Yaks I posted there was a post that said something about a positive Yik Yak meet up happening the next day at 1 pm.  

So the next day I posted to Yik Yak to see if anyone actually went.  

The responses were exactly what I expected them to be.  

Yik Yak is all talk and no walk.  It can be funny at times but you have to be careful about you read and believe. 

When I retell this story I always include two things.  1.)  How absolutely hilarious and unpredictable it was and 2.)  How everyone kept saying they were going to talk to me or come to the amphitheater and nobody ever did.  

I ended up going down and talking to those people and dancing with them.  I made some cool friends and it was definitely a pick-me-up/distraction in the midst of a rough week. 

So now you know what happened on April 25th at the Winthrop amphitheater.  

(Comments in red beside the yaks are comments I made after the fact meant to be humorous and provide context)

Midterms, Finals and the Stresses and Worries of School (GIF Edition)

Midterms are next week and each day I seem to add a new task to my agenda.  Next Wednesday and Thursday I will enter into a gauntlet of exams and projects due.  As stress begins to build I am going  to attempt to relax, before I throw myself into the books.  If you know me at all I am a huge fan of GIFs.  So for my sanity and your enjoyment here are 10 GIF's to describe the horrifying nature of midterms, school and finals and 8 GIF's to help you make it through.


Midterms are coming up and that means that you won't be able to procrastinate, but will actually have to study.




But let's be honest?  How does one actually begin to study for midterms?



Well there is the period of stress and freaking out where you realize how much you actually have to do in such a short amount of time.



You repeatedly ask yourself, "Why didn't I start studying sooner?"



You are completely sure midterms will be the death of you.



Papers are scattered all over your desk and all week you are running around like a chicken with your head cut off.



If you are like me the combination of studying and stress makes you want to eat.





Like a lot.





There will come a point where you feel like you just can't handle it anymore.





And you will feel completely and utterly exhausted.





8 GIFs to Help Get You Through the Week


1.  Puppies!  If this doesn't cheer you up something is wrong with you.




2.  And Pandas on a slide




3.  Emma Watson believes in you.


4.  Along with this penguin.




5.  So put on some good tunes.



6.  And get pumped up for the week.



7.  It will be over before you know it and you will be equally overjoyed and relieved.



8.  And the sleep that comes after it's over will be nothing short of spectacular.

PUNO

Have you ever heard of the card game UNO?  The one with skips, reverses and draw four?

Well since the semester has started, me and many others within my friend circles have been introduced to a new version of the game called 'PUNO.'

Our new RUF Intern Jaimie intruded this game earlier this fall and this is how you play.

Rules.

1. This game is exactly the same as UNO (Except not).

2.  When someone plays a six, everyone slaps the table.  Last person to slap the table draws two cards.

3.  When someone plays an 8, everyone slaps their forehead.  Last person to slap their forehead draws two cards.

4.  If someone plays a zero, you pass your hand in the direction that the game is currently headed.  (Example: If the game is moving to the right, cards would be passed to the person on your right and vice versa).

5.  Cards may be played out of turn if it is an exact replica of the current card that was just played.  (Example: Bob played a red three, I also have a red three.  Even though I am sitting across from Bob I will now play my red three).  It would then be the turn of the person beside me.  (If it is your turn and you play the same card as the card in play you may not play another; it counts as your turn).

This becomes extremely fun/horrible when multiple Draw 2's and Draw 4's are played. As those cards are played on top of each other they begin to add upon each other.  So if 5 draw 4's are played in a row, the person it ends on would have to draw 20 cards.  If you have to draw you cannot play your turn.

But wait, it gets crazier.

6.  If a card cannot be played, the player may say "cougar power."  Cougar power allows others around the table to offer forth cards face down to the player in need of help.  That player can choose any of the cards offered and play it immediately.  People may offer cards that are not helpful.  This is a deceitful twist that makes the game all the more fun.

Give it a try! Comment below and let me know what you think!

A Broken Mess

Last Friday I was late for work.

About a month ago I started working for ESPN.  My job there is to help insert the first down line graphics onto the screen and it is a job I feel very blessed to have.

So as you can probably guess I was mortified to discover I was late for work.

So how did this happen?  Great question, I'm glad you asked.

Those who know me will be quick to speak about how forgetful I can be.  My aunt says it runs in the family, which makes me feel a little bit better.  Regardless, I can be extremely forgetful (See previous blog post "10 Things That Already Went Wrong in 2014.") 

All week I had looked at my schedule with the mindset that I was working Saturday night when in all actuality I was scheduled to work on Friday night.

On Friday night my roommates and I went to all get haircuts.  After my haircut I looked at my phone and realized the gaffe I had made.  I called my boss back and told him I would be there as quickly as I could.

I hopped in my car and took off full speed to Charlotte meanwhile stranding my roommates at the haircut place with no ride back to campus (I think they've forgiven me).

It is important to note that a day earlier I had run out of data on my phone, rendering me incapable of using my GPS.  I had not driven from campus to work without the help of my GPS yet, sending me into an even deeper state of panic.

What if I make a wrong turn? What if I miss my exit?  What if I end up even more late and get fired?

I was behind the wheel lost and without a sense of direction.  I was helpless, upset, confused and full of worry and anxiety.  I was for lack of a better words, a broken mess.

Somehow in the midst of the chaos, God was able to turn this into a teachable moment.  I realized that my life is lived much like a driver; without a good sense of direction.  My life is a broken mess all the time and not just in that moment.

I recently began reading a book called "A Praying Life," by Paul E. Miller.  In the book Miller talks about his daughter Kim, who began walking 2 years behind schedule.

"We didn't critique how messy or late Kim was.  What did we do?  We screamed; we yelled; we jumped up and down.  The family came rushing in to find out what had happened.  Cameras came out, and Kim repeated her triumph. It was awesome." Miller said.

"This isn't just a random observation about how parents respond to little children.  This is the gospel, the welcoming heart of God.  God also cheers when we come to him with our wobbling, unsteady prayers.  Jesus does not say, 'Come to me all you who have learned how to concentrate in prayer, whose minds no longer wander, and I will give you rest.' No, Jesus opens his arms to his needy children and says, 'Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest.' (Matthew 11:28).  The criteria for coming to Jesus is weariness.  Come overwhelmed with life.  Come with your wandering mind.  Come messy."

This is the wonderful paradox of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  If we come to Jesus as sinners, if we come messy and broken, he meets us where we are and wraps his arms around us.

One of my favorite examples of this comes from Luke 15: 1-7.

"Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him and the Pharisees and scribes grumbled saying, 'This man receives sinners and eats with them.'  So he told them this parable.  'What man of you, hang a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it.  And when he has found it he lays it on his shoulders rejoicing.  And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors saying to them, Rejoice with me for I have found my sheep that was lost.'  Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance."

In this story I see myself as the sheep in both the figurative and literal sense.  Sometimes I feel shame and embarrassment when I realize how much of a mess I am, but I am reminded here that God loves me in my messiness.  And because I know this fact it allows me to rest in Jesus.

To provide some closure to this story I did make it to work and I still have my job.  One of my friends was kind enough to text me some directions to help guide me to work (thanks Ashley) and by the grace of God I made it before the game I was scheduled to work began.  My roommates were also able to find a ride back to campus (thanks Abby).  It was nothing short of a miracle.

So if you are forgetful like me, or you feel like you are a mess right now, turn to Jesus, he loves you in spite of your mess.

Luke 7:47 "Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven--for she loved much.  But he who is forgiven little loves little."