“YorkU Memes” combines campus issues with the internet’s classy brand of humour
Wayne Hudson
Sports & Health Editor
@WayneaHudson
York students now have an online outlet for their criticisms through their very own internet memes.
Despite having been created less than a week ago, the Facebook page “YorkU Memes” has received over 800 likes, and is steadily increasing.
The creator of the Facebook group, Alecia Dretzkat, explains that she created the group as a fun way to point out York’s problems and common complaints.
“Everyone understands what the memes are directed towards,” she says. “These are not problems that people aren’t aware of.”
The group’s photos consist of images created by both the group admins as well as students from both Keele and Glendon campus. One meme criticizes the Village housing situation: “YorkU Village landlords: Y U NO follow building code?” Another pokes fun at the numerous theft incidents on campus: “Wanted to take your laptop to class? Someone already stole it.”
Since the page is open to the public, the potential for offensive material is possible. However, Dretzkat says that has not happened yet and wants the page to remain inoffensive.
“I wouldn’t want to turn [the meme page] into something like that, attacking one person,” she says. “I haven’t had to reject any yet. If they get too offensive then I’m not going to allow it on the page. It’s more of a fun page, I don’t want anyone to be offended by it.”
Dretzkat and fellow administrator James Collett hope that the group will have a significant impact in addressing specific problems at York. She hopes to spread the word and have these student concerns—however parodied they may be—noticed by many others.
“Hopefully it will get to the point where it’s got enough people to actually get some of these things fixed,” she says.
