The University of Alabama's "snow" day should have been a happy day for its students. Instead, Harley Barber's leaked "finsta" videos embarrassed the student body, and even made many fear for their safety. Barber has since been dropped from her sorority and expelled from the school, but that's not what I wanted to talk about. There's nothing we can do about what was posted, and she seems pretty set in the mindset that got her expelled to begin with. Harley Barber has done plenty of damage, but certainly that can't be all that comes out of this.
So what can we learn from her mistakes?
The South is NOT a racist vacation spot
One of my creative writing professors said this, and I haven't been able to get it out of my mind. Just because you're in the south, doesn't mean you get to be racist and spew horrible opinions about people just because they aren't you (and aren't wearing your ugly fur vest). The South may get a bad rep, but that doesn't mean everyone is a racist — nor does it mean it is suddenly okay to be one once you cross the Mason Dixon.
Be respectful
If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say it. We're all entitled to our opinions, but you should really be careful what you say, and moreover where you say it.
Finstas are not private
Just because it isn't your primary account, doesn't mean people aren't watching you carefully. Just because only 200 of your "closest" friends are following it and your sorority/organization has turned a blind eye, doesn't mean someone won't turn you in if you prove to be a danger to yourself, those around you, etc.
People will turn you in
It doesn't matter how long you wanted to be a Sigma Apple Pie, if you threaten that organization's reputation, someone will turn you in. Even though it wasn't her sorority sister that turned her in, someone she "trusted" enough to follow her page had no problem sharing the videos.
What you post can and will come back to bite you
She posted two videos. She lost her sorority, her friends, her school, her reputation, and her future. My parents didn't let me get a Facebook page until I was older than most of my friends, and this is why: if you don't understand the power you hold when you post on social media, you aren't ready for it. It doesn't matter that she was a college student, she clearly wasn't ready for such a responsibility.
What you post doesn't just affect you
Her sorority is under fire. They aren't allowed to wear their letters on campus because it isn't safe for them. The University has been damaged by only one of its 38,000+ students. UA and it's Greek Life get a very bad reputation from people who can't be bothered to think twice about their actions.
So the next time you go to post/tweet/text, remember how quickly one student lost everything.
