The Tripod

Students at Trinity College have been provided with a new outlet in the recently-created TrinTalk.com, which Boasts an Anonymous Confession Board (ACB). A student run project founded by Mike DiPietro '11, the Web site, is modeled after similar college blogs such as Wesleyan's Wesleying and Middlebury's Midd-blog.com.

In creating TrinTalk.com, DiPietro wanted to create a new forum for student opinions. "Trinity didn't have a good outlet for current, up-to-date student views other thanthe Tripod," he said. He added that, because the forum allows for anonymous posts, new students can ask questions that they may have, otherwise, been too timid to ask. As for current students, he said that "people are having a lot of fun with the site" and Student Government Association (SGA) and other on-campus organizations have expressed excitement about the Web site's potential.

John Poleto '11, the secondary moderator of the Anonymous Confession Board (ACB), agrees with DiPietro: "It has helped many incoming freshmen in their quest for knowledge about the more embarrassing aspects of the Trinity community."

"I have found that TrinTalk.com is also a useful tool for existing students. Not only does it offer the same security of anonymity that it does to freshmen, but it also serves as one of, if not the only, substantially visited online forum dedicated to the goings on at the campus of Trinity College."

The ACB enables users to create feeds and reply anonymously to these questions and topics. There are currently threads on a variety of matters, ranging from "The Fred" to "fake IDs" to "who da tannest girl at trin." Many have focused on providing advice for incoming first-year students about moving in, classes to take, and social options. Other threads feature primarily humorous comments about Trinity-exclusive topics. DiPietro personally thinks that the funniest comments are posted on the feed titled "Overheard at Trinity" on which students post other amusing remarks made by students.

DiPietro said that he has received an unexpected amount of positive feedback on the Web site. Dean of Students Frederick Alford agreed with those who see the possibilities of TrinTalk.com. "I think it could be a great vehicle for sharing information and helping connect people to opportunities," he said, citing ride-sharing programs and study groups as examples of positive uses.

DiPietro has also heard more blunt, more negative feedback. Many worry that the anonymity of the Web site will lead to offensive remarks and petty arguments.

"We like to think that the general campus community respects the Golden Rule to some degree," Poleto said, in response to the fear of hurtful posts. He added that, because TrinTalk.com is not affiliated with the College, "it is also unknown as to whether or not members of the Anonymous Confession Board community are matriculated students of this institution."

As the Web site's administrator, DiPietro remains relatively hands-off, but will remove egregious comments immediately. He says that he is on the site whenever he is at the computer and tries to read everything. He posts as an administrator whenever he sees it necessary. However, he admits that a "handful of times a day" he also posts as a guest, but never replies to his own posts.

Alford also advised students to be careful and use their best judgment when utilizing Web sites such as, but not specifically, TrinTalk.com, for posts could "leave an indelible mark and the things that seem funny or cool at the age of 18 may be a source of embarrassment at age 20."

DiPietro says he has not been approached by anyone from the Trinity College Administration regarding his Web site. In the campus-wide e-mail he sent over the summer, Alford alluded to Web sites such as TrinTalk.com in which he warned students that while some online advice may be well-meaning, some is no more than "barnyard braying."

"I hope that people will not post offensive language, and that if someone does, it will be countered with comments that capture the intelligence and sensitivity that characterize most everyone I've met at Trinity," he said.

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