Soviet Kitsch
kparedes@theguidon.com
Proving that Filipinos are inherently chismoso, Overheard at the Ateneo is the newest source of procrastination for students and alumni alike. Founded and moderated by Migoy Lizada, the same person who wrote the Harry Potter-themed Ateneo saga, the Facebook group that once began as an offshoot of other similar websites is now one of the biggest Ateneo groups on the Internet.
Many have compared it to sitting in the middle of the cafeteria and listening in on the conversations of the students and barkadas milling about. With more than 10,000 members and counting, Overheard is arguably the Internet generation’s response to 150 years of Ateneo tradition. More than ever, posts in the group reflect and recount age-old Ateneo adages, people, buildings, jokes, etc. The group is a rich microcosm of Ateneo culture that encompasses batches, schools, and social belongingness.
No one is safe from the meddling ears of Overheard. Some teachers have taken to asking their students to spare them from internet consumption. Students have admitted to listening more intently to discussions in and outside the classroom in order to share something on the website. Even the sleeping cat in between Dela Costa in the new library has not been spared. He (they argue that it is indeed a “he”) is now a celebrity. All these are done in the spirit of good, clean fun, however. Overheard does not intend to be an intrusive force, and Migoy continues to moderate the posts frequently just to ensure that things are “overheard and not overshared,” and that nothing becomes too offensive.
Many contributions in the group deal with anecdotes about Fr. Dacanay or Fr. Ferriols’, and these are all very entertaining for the community. Perhaps what is more interesting to note in the growth of the group, however, is the rise of generation-specific posts. Alumni have been bitten by the Overheard bug as well, and it is not difficult to find posts dedicated to legends and buildings of yore. A photo of Beef Teriyaki, a stall at the cafeteria, for example, gathered close to 550 “likes” and 150 comments reminiscing about the good ‘ol days when meals could be purchased in the Ateneo at P40.
Before Overheard is tossed into the bin as another Internet sensation, however, it is best to acknowledge the effect it has for every Atenean or former Atenean who sought to find solace in the continuous entertainment the group provides. The many Ateneans who were cramming papers or lessons while reading Overheard probably found it hard to get their work done, but at least they have the benefit of knowing that school doesn’t need to be taken so seriously all the time. Sometimes, it pays just to sit back and laugh about the idiosyncrasies of academic life. For the others who read through the posts at work or after a long day in the corporate world, it’s always good to go back to something familiar.
Overheard is proof that no matter how old you are and how long you’ve been breaking your back in the “real world,” some things stay the same. Ambeth Ocampo will continue to share Rizal gossip and the cafeteria ladies will remain to be the iron women feared by many.
