Uni Unay: Viral Sensation

Harry Penrose examines why so many students have been friending an 18-year-old Indonesian girl that they’ve never met.

12 years ago

Exeter Penrose Student Life Unay

As many of you will already be aware, there is an incredble trend sweeping across the nation’s universities.

Simply put, in a bid to acknowledge behaviour which is classically stereotypical of university students, many have taken to an unmistakable exclamation which accurately sums up the sentiment felt: ‘Unay.’

I should now point out that 'unay' is different to 'uni'. 'Unay' is everything about university life that you wouldn’t want on the transcript that accompanies your degree. Unay is bolting, unay is windmilling in Mosaic, unay is all the freedom of living away from home, and none of the responsibilities. It even comes with its own slogan: ‘Unay: no parents, no bedtime, no vegetables.’

However, as a result of the widespread first-world popularity of screaming “UUUNNNAAAAY” at the nearest onlooker, a young girl from the Garut Regency in rural Indonesia finds herself at the centre of one of the most popular student crazes in recent memory. Enter the brilliantly, yet unfortunately named ‘Uni Unay.’

A star is born.

The discovery of Ms. Unay can be accredited to second year Exeter lacrosse player Alex Calver and history student Ross Bentley, who found her on Facebook.

After friend Matt Stephens was foolishly ‘claimed’ on naming his firstborn child Unay, the question emerged: are there already people out there named Unay?

Since then, Ms. Unay has soared in popularity, having taken on more than 500 new Facebook friends in the last month. Also, Unay has of late received an inordinate number of wall posts and likes on each of her updates. Most notably, when Ms. Unay changed her relationship status from ‘In a relationship’ to ‘single,’ a rapturous reception of over forty likes ensued, as the news sent shockwaves across the western world.

Of course, of these new friendships, most have been forged with students at UK universities, with undergraduates at Exeter, Leeds, Durham, Bristol, St. Andrews and Newcastle all making contributions to Unay’s wall.

What makes this movement so perplexing is that Ms. Unay appears not to speak or understand a word of English. Anything written on her wall or commented on her photos is replied to not only with the most sincere confusion, but also in her native language.

Whether it be tagged photos of Valentine's cards that she is alleged to have sent, or inquisitions over why she was absent from Timepiece on Wednesday, Uni Unay has seen it all.

I now speculate as to what the future holds for this young lady. Perhaps an appearance in the Big Brother house beckons? Nevertheless, I wish her all the best. Go on, have your time in the sun. You’re a celebrity and you don’t even know it.

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