Northwood Confessions 2.0, an anonymous Instagram account, recently made an impactful return and has been the center of attention for students on campus. The original Northwood Confessions started last year and survived for over a month. At its peak, the account reached a point where students were non-stop checking it for updates. It seemed like everyone was a fan until they were exposed. And then, suddenly, the account was shut down.
Northwood Confessions 2.0, like its predecessor, was an entertaining but harmful account that appeared out of nowhere and gained popularity quickly and dangerously. The student responsible for the account is still unknown, but the Northwood faculty has done a much better job of stopping the account compared to last year. The account spread several rumors, and numerous people were offended.
The return of the account left many interested but skeptical. Maegan Bryne ’24 stated, “I thought it was funny at some points, but it also went a little too far and hurt some people. A lot of false information was spread, so it was important to get rid of the account.” Several students debated the way in which the school handled the situation. Maegan believes, “The school handled it well but did kind of make a big scene of it. In my opinion, they made it out to be a lot worse than it was.”
New students were confused about the account and didn’t know how the account was run or what it was about. Hamish Riddell ’26 said, “I was really confused about the account, but similar accounts were apparent at my previous schools. I heard previous rumors about Northwood Confessions, but they were mostly positive. After the first few posts, I thought the account was really entertaining. Eventually, I saw a fake post about me. I found it funny, but I could see how it would affect others, so in the end, it was probably better that the account was banned.”
The vast amount of mixed reactions amongst students made this account significant yet dangerous.
After the issues last year, Northwood knew how to prevent the account going viral. Student leaders were informed of the account and played an active role in reporting and banning it, given that it breached the school community’s expectations and was facilitating harassment.
Lohkoah Paye ’24 expressed, “I found the account quite entertaining, but I knew it was wrong, and I knew it was my duty as a student leader to act upon this.”
Northwood Confessions 2.0 was handled far better this year, and the school prevented a potential disaster. Sachiel Ming, a second-year junior, said, “The account had far fewer posts this year so fewer people were offended. The school got rid of the account very quickly before the account grew exponentially. It was reported and banned on Instagram, meaning it only lasted four days and the school managed to limit the damage effectively.
Northwood Confessions 2.0 appeared and then disappeared mysteriously. The account is officially banned and is now not affecting anyone. The school has handled this well and is constantly learning how to make Northwood safer.
Who knows if or when Northwood Confessions 3.0 will come out?
