By Peyton Brock
Among the myriad of SCAD themed Instagram accounts, from the quirky and meme-laden “SCAD Out of Context” and “SCAD Cursed Images,” to the more niche accounts such as “SCAD Asleep,” one account stands out as the most wholesome and positive: “SCAD Crushes.”
The premise of the account is simple: students send direct messages (DMs) describing their crush, the moderators filter them and then they’re posted. This creates an easy and anonymous way to let a fellow student know you fancy them.
The account started March 3, 2019, by two students, Nut and Squirrel [who still wish to remain anonymous.] Nut is a fourth-year sequential art student and Squirrel is an illustration major who graduated in 2019. An account with a similar premise existed at the school they transferred from, so they decided to make one for SCAD.
However, one can’t help but wonder about the voyeuristic implications of such an account. What if someone is uncomfortable with a public post about them? Well, this is taken into consideration and Squirrel and Nut extinguished any fears. “We filter crushes so that stuff that’s creepy isn’t posted. We want this place to be positive for everyone who interacts with it,” Nut said. “There’s not really a way for us to try to make sure everyone who sees every crush isn’t uncomfortable because everybody is different, but we do filter everything to make sure everyone is respectful, polite and appropriate as much as possible.”
When it comes to advice Squirrel and Nut were quick to offer enthusiastic advice. Without coordination, they both responded with Nike’s slogan “Just Do It.” But when it comes to date ideas Nut cautioned “Anything but taking a walk-through Forsyth park. The park is big y’all, but not big enough for a whole date of walking through.”
With the end of the school year coming up, it seemed fitting to ask Squirrel and Nut what kind of future they see for the account. “We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it. My motto is, if you don’t plan, nothing can go wrong,” Squirrel said.
Since there are plenty of messages to look through, it’s only fitting they would have some favorites. “Personally, I always really like the crushes people send in that are just to compliment someone or make someone’s day better,” Nut said.
They specifically cited crush number 112 as one of their favorites, which reads: “I don’t know if this counts, but there’s someone in my dorm building here at Oglethorpe either above me or next door. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen them, but I can hear them singing every morning when I go to shower. I think they’re singing in another language. It’s very quiet, but it always makes me smile to hear them. Keep singing, friend!! You sound beautiful.”
Squirrel’s favorite reads: “To the super pretty girl who tripped in Johnson Square, I didn’t have the guts to talk to you, but you look so beautiful and I love your red hair! P.S. I hope your knee is okay!!”
