LEAD

Overheard at Michigan

By Kat Koehl
March 16, 2010




Instead of quoting celebrities, movies, or historical figures, we have begun to quote each other. Freshman Peter Wasky has founded a Facebook group called Overheard at the University of Michigan, where anyone can do just that. It's a group dedicated to those ridiculous bits of conversation you hear when you can't restrain from eavesdropping. Most of the statements posted would probably make sense in their full context, but the fact that they are just a fragment contributes to the hilarity. The quotes come from all over campus, with locations including bus stops, cafeterias, the UGLI, and the Diag.

Wasky, an admitted Facebook addict, was inspired to start the group by seeing on his News Feed ''so and so joined Overheard at Notre Dame...so and so joined Overheard at Indiana.'' He discovered the tragedy that no such group existed for Michigan. So he promptly created one. The original idea for these groups came from the website www.overheardinnewyork.com. The concept is that any statement can be misconstrued if not interpreted in context, and also that people say some very odd things!

The rapid expansion of Overheard is a testament to the power of networking. By using a site like Facebook, which is a central component to social interaction at the university, Wasky was able to better ensure the success of the group. If he had chosen a less omnipresent medium, like a blog, fewer people would have discovered Overheard, and it may have remained obscure. After creating the group, Wasky simply invited all his friends and coerced them into inviting their friends. This type of chain reaction is facilitated exceptionally well by Facebook; all one must do is click a few icons. As of today, Overheard at UM has 6,099 members.

Peter Wasky is a highly entertaining gentleman, and yet there is a true intellectual behind the fun-loving, social exterior. He's a pre-admit to the college of pharmacy and balances the exhaustive course load with participating in Dance Marathon and University Mentorship. Overheard at UM serves as his side project; its easy maintenance is a refreshing distraction from his serious commitments. ''I check it daily and if someone posts spam, I delete it. But other than that, it is not really much work.''

According to Wasky, the essential qualities for a leader include being ''cutting edge...and open to new ideas other than their own.'' It is crucial to ''bring new ideas to the table, like Overhead at the University of Michigan.'' Leadership to him is about a fresh outlook and the promotion of progress. It is not enough to keep up with the current; one must personify the future.

Wasky describes himself as outgoing, empathetic, and thoughtful. It is easy to make the connection between this individual and Overheard. When reading posts on the group's page, you can understand the real meaning behind the outlandish quote, yet also see how it was interpreted at face value. Wasky is this type of person- eccentric when you first meet him, yet focused and rational underneath.