August 27, 9:19 p.m.: “Leah from the rowing team is a dime!”

Posts like this are all over Mercyhurst Crushes, a Twitter account that anonymously tweets submissions from students. Posts range in vulgarity, but for the most part are innocent enough that they don’t hurt people’s feelings. It might be embarrassing at times, but I don’t think the account is offensive; let’s be honest, sometimes embarrassing is funny.

The vulgarity of a post is subjective. I think the majority of the account’s followers believe the posts are raunchy enough to be entertaining, but not too obscene that they upset people. Mercyhurst Crushes has innocent intentions, and students collectively agree that the account is more amusing than anything else.

Leah Griffin, a sophomore on the rowing team, has been featured on the site multiple times.

“I think it’s all in good fun,” said Griffin. “It can be flattering when you find out that you’re on it, but I also think it can go too far. I could see how it might violate someone’s space because sometimes it can get very vulgar.”

In a direct message, the administrator claiming to be the original creator of the account said he/she works to keep the posts somewhat sanitary.

“I filter what I think is inappropriate out for the most part,” said the administrator. “After getting complaints, I stopped posting anything that could possibly be taken the wrong way. I still post some raunchy stuff, but we’re college-age students, so I figure that suggestive and such would be fine with the audience.”

Sophomore Natalie Merucci sees the good and bad sides of the account.

“I think it depends on the post,” said Merucci. “Some that I’ve seen are awesome, and I think it’s fun because you don’t know who thinks that about you. But if it’s a vulgar quote, then I think that’s horrible for that person to see.”

As a whole, I believe that most people can agree that the account is all in good fun. The original Mercyhurst Crushes said he/she started the account “because I thought the concept was interesting and I’m a person who loves to make people smile.” The account is intended to amuse people.

The current administrator is in the process of handing down the account to a new mediator for this year. Hopefully, whoever takes the reigns of the account keeps the postings light so everyone can enjoy the humorous musings of love-struck Mercyhurst students.