As I sat in Umphrey Lee Wednesday afternoon, enjoying my fresh-out-of-the-oven chocolate chip cookie, I was disturbed to witness one of humanity’s most horrible vices; gossip.

Instead of students happily enjoying their sandwiches and egg-white omelets, they spat and hissed horrible things about friends and acquaintances. I must admit I was shocked. Umphrey Lee has traditionally been a place of comfort and community, where students from all walks of life are invited to enjoy a meal together and sit with random friends. Times are a changin’.

However controversial my argument may be, I propose a theory nevertheless. The recent proliferation of campus trash talk can be attributed to a single event: close of popular gossip site Juicy Campus.

I hated Juicy Campus as much as the next student. I found it mean and useless, not to mention full of annoying grammatical errors. But my experience at Umphrey Lee makes me think I may have judged too soon.

While a lot of negative karma was surely generated with every click, comment, and catfight, there is something to be said for having a space where students can voice their emotions freely without fear of negative repercussions.

This is not to say I endorse libel in any form. Indeed, I find gossip despicable; the written word is arguably much more damaging than the spoken word. So what is there to do about this predicament?

Resurrecting Juicy Campus is most definitely not an option. Too many feelings were hurt and reputations ruined by the indiscreet use of that open forum. However, gossiping around campus is certainly no better. And neither is repressing unhappy thoughts, according to Freud.

Instead, I propose a fourth option, the most courageous of all. If you have a problem with someone, talk to him or her about it before you consult everyone else.

The best relationships are those in which the parties involved address problems with each other directly.

Sure, it takes a lot of effort, and if you’re a blusher like I am, it isn’t easy to stay in control of the situation. But in the end, learning to confront your peers in a mutually respectful manner is an invaluable life skill.

We were all taught the popular anti-gossip adage in kindergarten: if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all. This phrase has unfortunately cultivated a society where no one feels comfortable confronting their friends and instead turns to gossip or repression, both equally unhealthy options.

So next time you have something not-so-nice to say, try saying it nicely.

Rebecca Quinn is a sophomore Spanish, French, and art history major. She can be reached for comment at [email protected].