PostSecret founder unravels students’ secrets

Throughout campus, decorated mailboxes advertise for students to anonymously submit their deepest unshared secrets. This project is inspired by PostSecret, a blog that publishes anonymous submissions by people from all over the world confessing regrets, desires and other secrets artistically on a postcard.


Frank Warren, creator of PostSecret, will be visiting Seattle University Jan. 14 to share his experiences with the project and to promote and sign the new book "PostSecret: Confessions on Life, Death and God." This fourth PostSecret book—after "A Lifetime of Secrets," "The Secret Lives of Men and Women," and "Extraordinary Confessions from Ordinary Lives" and has already become a New York Times number one Bestseller.


"People feel safe enough to feel totally honest about their lives," said Emma Nauman, freshman premajor. "It's [both] comforting and discomforting to read these honest confessions."


Student Activities has been organizing the event since last spring. Warren regularly tours universities to reach out to students and promote his project and visited Seattle U in 2007.


"He's known as the most-trusted stranger in America," said Maura McCreight, sophomore philosophy and visual arts major and student programmer for the event. "We wanted something everyone can relate to and enjoy."


Audience interaction is predicted to be a big part of the event. Warren plans on sharing his personal story of how PostSecret came about, and he will also share the stories of others' secrets and discuss how his project has affected their lives. Secrets gathered across campus will decorate the walls of Campion Ballroom in honor of the event.

"We're [also] hoping someone from the audience will be able to share a secret onstage and be able to speak with Frank," McCreight said.


After the presentation, Warren will stay to sign students' copies of PostSecret books. Copies of his new book will also be available for purchase at the event.

According to McCreight, Warren promises to "stay until the very last book is signed."

"I like PostSecret's sincerity," said Julia Kernerman, freshman premajor. "People use it as an outlet to visually represent their secrets [with some] mystery behind them."


Past PostSecret events have been successful. Audience members around the globe garnered a new respect for Warren after he told his own secret onstage and described his reason for starting PostSecret. While it began as an idea for a small community art project, he became inspired by the overwhelming amount of anonymous secrets he received and decided to help people heal through each other's stories.

Attendance is expected to be huge. The Facebook fan page for the event already has more than 600 confirmed guests, with many more expected. Seattle residents and PostSecret fans across the Northwest have been scrambling to find a way in since the event was announced, though the event is intended primarily for Seattle U students.

Students are allowed to escort one non-affiliate guest, provided there is room for seating. Guests will be seated at 6:50 p.m. after all students have been accommodated. With the ballroom only able to hold 740 people, some students plan to camp out and line up extremely early to guarantee a seat for themselves.


"I've been reading [PostSecret] for a while," Nauman said. "I feel like this guy has a lot of cool things to say after collecting these postcards for so long."


Doors will open at 6:30 p.m., and the event will begin with a raffle of mailboxes signed by Warren. Warren will begin speaking at 7 p.m.

Kat may be reached at acatlett@su-spectator.com.