Shhhhh! It's a secret...or maybe not...

Next time you're in a 300 person psychology lecture, take a good, long look at your classmates. At first glance the kid next to you is just a random dude minding his own business, scribbling notes from the overhead onto loose-leaf paper. \nLittle do you know that below the unassuming surface lies a bubbling amalgam of shameful regrets, skeletons in the closet and private thoughts he wouldn't dare let even his best friend (let alone anyone sitting next to him in psychology) in on. He is nothing special. Every single person in any lecture hall suffers from the same condition of keeping certain "distinguishing characteristics" strictly off limits. \nEveryone has a secret.\nBut with the wonder of the Internet, all that is about to change.\nWeb sites that feature "spill-it-all" blogs, in which users sign in and share their dirty little secrets with the world, are becoming increasingly popular in cyber space. At www.postsecret.com, for example, people send in postcards and artistically express their inner turmoil through graphic design and poems on those little pieces of paper. Some of the many memorable entries include, "I'm going to bang my English teacher this year" and "I wish I looked like an underwear model." And that's just the tip of the iceberg. New "secret postcards" are posted every Sunday, so the site is frequently updated with juicy admissions.\nSounds pretty intriguing, right? If something like that piques your interest, you may not have to look far to see the exposed secrets of your classmates. In fact, it's just a click away. It's Facebook.\nAs almost anyone can tell you, one of Facebook's many features is offering "groups" that are much like online clubs. The "groups" are based on any topic under the sun that could appeal to many types of IU students: devout watchers of "The OC," honors college students, Chicago natives or New England Patriots fans.\nFacebook groups have allowed people who may have similar "interests" to come together in a way that's funny, if not eyebrow-raising. The groups start off innocently enough: maybe your hidden vice is indulging in the never-ending entertainment of your friends' away messages.\nGroups continue to give way to humor with other popular picks like, "We Heart Penguins."\n"I joined the group because I want people to know how much I appreciate those lovable animals," says sophomore Tim Eich. "It's a great way to spread penguin awareness."\nOther lighthearted entries include, "I'm Afraid Of Most Of The Squirrels On Campus" and "I Skip Class Like It's My Job." \nBut some groups tend to be a little more "revealing" in nature. In fact, it can be downright jaw-dropping that some have amassed such a huge member count. What most people would consider deep, dark demons are things that hundreds of IU students can identify with one another. And many students have launched some Facebook groups, along with many "secrets," to the forefront.\n"I Urinate In The Dorm Showers," which is aimed at attracting "those of us who just don't feel like walking 15 feet to the toilet." The photo featured on the group's main page is an empty shower that just seems itching to have its ceramic tiles graced by the human waste of its floor's residents. Kind of drives home the advice of wearing flip-flops in dorm bathrooms, doesn't it?\nBut what if your secret involves seducing truckers while you're en route to Chicago? Never fear, there is a group for you too: "I Flirt With Truckers And Their Daughters While Driving To Chicago During Spring Break."\nWhile these groups are funny and memorable, some of the larger groups begin to enter the realm of more "serious" issues, such as having brushes with the law.\nMembers of the group "I've Been Busted by the Finest ... IUPD" declined for an interview, but the mission statement is obvious: "If you have been busted by IUPD's finest, or the average, or even a cadet on a F-ing bike ... This one is for you! Everyone knows they come from miles around to bust us, it is like shootin fish in the barrel and we all have been shot and floated to the surface," the group's description reads. \nBeing arrested may be something most people want to keep in that cupboard of dark secrets, but this is an example of Facebook serving as a platform for people to vent and find comfort by joining a group of people that have undergone a similar experience.\nHaving said that, could Facebook be the best free therapy on the net? Probably not, but it does let people spill their guts. "Thirsty Thursday Alliance" may not be the best appellation to have in your profile if professors or employers ever made a habit of frequenting Facebook. Many of the members of the "Alliance" are also members of the groups "Drunk Dialers Anonymous," "Alcohol ... We Like It Hard" and "Screw Class Let's Get Drunk." But that doesn't stop almost 3,000 IU students from sharing their penchant for pre-weekend boozing with other surfers on the Web site.\nSo whether it's a means to be funny or a means to identify yourself with like-minded Hoosiers, Facebook has and will continue to make students feel a little more comfortable to admit things they may not have otherwise. At this rate, the old adage "everyone has a secret" may become obsolete.