UNCW Crushes and Seahawk Stalkers gives “Generation Y” an outlet

Juliane Bullard | Editor-in-chief

While researching this article, I did what most students who frequent UNCW’s latest web craze do- I stalked the stalkers of UNCW Crushes and Seahawk Stalkers. I didn’t just read every single Facebook post available. If there was a person mentioned and tagged I stalked them too (if this page teaches us anything, it’s that we could all use some frank honesty).

There was no real purpose behind the stalking. I did it for what? Boredom? I have three jobs and 17 hours of classes. Entertainment? I can watch Jersey Shore re-runs and have my daily intake of trashy, good ol’ Americana entertainment.

So why did this borderline offensive Facebook page calling every girl wearing yoga pants out capture my undivided, devout attention? I mean, I was (cough, still am) sneaking a peak at the page in my pocket at work, exhibiting the extremely dangerous behavior of driving and Facebooking, and I even got a text from Verizon Wireless saying I had used up 90 percent of my data for the month. I haven’t done that since I found out FaceTime eats up your data like a pregnant women who just discovered the magic of Oreos and peanut butter.

So why? I kept trying to explain to myself the slightly scary addiction I had to UNCW Crushes and Seahawk Stalkers and finally I realized- it’s because we are a generation of stalkers. It’s not because we’re creepy, although we undoubtedly are, but it’s because we are “Generation Y,” characterized by tech heroes like Mark Zuckerberg, who merit us the fast-paced, information driven society we have gotten used to. We want to know everything about everyone, and so when something new like UNCW Crushes and Seahawk Stalkers pops up, with a portal to all hot people UNCW related, we thrive on it.

Books, magazines? We got rid of those with the first tablet. TV? Who has time to sit down and watch a 30 minute program all the way through? Even with Jersey Shore I can only take a few minutes before realizing how much time, and brain cells, I’m wasting. So, as Generation Y, we are driven to our version of soap operas that is UNCW Crushes and Seahawk Stalkers.

We might not have time for things that require real effort, but when it comes to soaking up useless knowledge about who likes whom at UNCW, we’ll remember that five Seahawk staff members have already been called out. And maybe it stops there for some people. Maybe it’s just information we seek. At least, that’s the way I see it. Who says we need a football team?