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In old school movies, breakfast usually comes with a cup of coffee and a folded newspaper. On modern-day campuses, though, this routine looks slightly different. Instead of flipping headlines, some students in the dining hall catch up on news by scrolling through anonymous posts on Yik Yak.

The feed is as random as it is revealing: chaotic updates from the night prior, endless complaints, memes of our favorite campus celebrities and even photos of Babybel cheese scattered across Flint. Messy, funny and sometimes toxic, Yik Yak has quietly become an underrated way to make friends and engage with Syracuse University’s most honest community.

The first week of classes, I was scrolling on Yik Yak around midnight when a post came up on my feed: “Bored in Day Hall.” After messaging the person back and forth for a couple of minutes, I soon found myself spinning around in her roommate’s desk chair, telling her all about my life back home in New Hampshire and the details of adjusting to campus life.

As an extrovert who knew almost everyone at my rural high school, the first couple of weeks at SU posed an unexpected challenge in terms of finding my people. I told her about everything from the excitement of joining the marching band to how I dreaded the never-ending hike up the Mount steps every time I wanted to go home.

That evening showed me something that many daily Yik Yak users probably overlook: the app is a powerful community-building resource for students, especially freshmen and transfers. It’s perfect for tips on dining halls, figuring out which shuttle to catch, information on what student groups to join or getting involved with off-campus events. It can also be a great resource if you’re feeling homesick, irritated by a classmate or even hoping to find friends who really understand you. Yik Yak has become a surprisingly useful hub for all of it.

Of course, the app is in no way perfect. Yik Yak’s anonymity can be a double-edged sword. While it’s easy for students to reach out, the lack of real consequences – other than occasional temporary bans – can bring out the worst in some users. Some posts cross lines into harassment or are flooded with rude comments.

The app’s technological flaws sometimes let troubling content slip through, including antisemitic or homophobic remarks. The same feed where I found a friend can also feature posts that dive into concerning discourse, and it’s no surprise that many might dismiss the app as useless or cruel just like any other.

Ilyan Sarech | Design Editor

But despite these imperfections, Yik Yak can be a lifeline for students navigating the social challenges of college. Nearly two-thirds of college students report feeling lonely, according to a 2024 study by Active Minds. Those experiencing loneliness are more than four times as likely to face severe psychological distress. And it doesn’t stop there – feeling isolated can affect more than your mood.

Research from Boston University’s School of Public Health shows that 83% of students said their mental health had negatively impacted their academic performance within the past month. These studies highlight the profound impact that mental challenges, such as loneliness and anxiety, can have on focus, attendance and grades. For many, finding social connections early in college is just as important for their studies as it is for their mental health.

Yik Yak can be a surprisingly effective way to break this cycle. By offering a low-pressure space to ask questions, vent frustrations and discuss common interests, the app allows students to connect through shared experiences that might otherwise go unnoticed.

These interactions help us build a sense of belonging, which research shows is critical for both mental health and academic success. While the app appears to simply be used for fun, it also fulfills a deeper social function that SU students rely on more than they realize.

Regardless of the content, Yik Yak posts give students shared experiences to reference and bond over, helping users feel connected through the everyday motions of campus life. These small interactions matter, holding a long-term effect by creating a sense of belonging for members of the community, especially new students.

For me, that first midnight conversation in Day Hall turned a random anonymous post into a friendship, easing the isolation that can commonly hit in the first weeks of college while getting settled in. Yik Yak provided me with a bridge between feeling like a stranger on campus and feeling at home.

While the app’s inevitable toxicity gives it a mixed reputation, it is worth recognizing as a platform for more than just intentional inflammation. On a campus where social connections are essential for student wellbeing, Yik Yak shows that sometimes the most unexpected apps can make a real difference in our lives. Students just need to take the initiative to reach out and use the app to form genuine connections at SU.

Addy Kimball is a freshman majoring in political science. She can be reached at akimba02@syr.edu.

Published on September 15, 2025 at 10:50 pm