Trapped. Torn apart from friends. Forced to eat lunch in exile. These consequences were some of many that resulted from the short-lived Minga app, which was used as a digital substitute to the physical ID’s of the past. Many individuals struggled with using the app, from poor Wi-Fi connections to having to carry their iPad with them because they were not able to pull up Minga on their phones.
Among these people was San Marcos senior Tori Chow, who shared insight into what it was like.
“I was trying to get off campus and my Minga app wouldn’t load,” said Tori. “All my other friends had already gotten off campus and I was the only one who’s Minga app wouldn’t load. I was so frustrated.”
Frustration is a word that many people used to describe Minga, however it was not one that underclassmen typically chose. The app definitely had its perks if you were attempting to sneak off campus at lunch as many underclassmen do. A digital ID allowed for the making of counterfeit ID’s to become fairly standard practice. When asked about this problem though, campus security denied the issue. One member of campus security felt fairly confident that he had seen “all of the tricks” and he was not worried about students sneaking off of campus.
One anonymous student reported that they were “[…] upset that I can’t sneak off campus anymore… but I’ll find a way.”
Dean Becks also acknowledged this problem stating that she did not think, “Our school was ready for it [Minga] yet. Students would darken their screen, a lot of students would film other students screens and photoshop over.”
When interviewed, Principle Holdren said that the main issue with Minga was regarding equity. Students who did not have phones were forced to carry their iPad with them wherever they went. He stated the importance of providing a safe equitable campus for all students at San Marcos.
The downside for underclassmen is that it is now more difficult to get off campus with physical ID’s, especially since as of this year administration made the change to have upperclassmen ID’s be vertical and underclassmen ID’s be horizontal. Other students, particularly seniors, are glad to have made the switch back.
“I do not like Minga because it’s more fun to have a physical ID. You can place it in an album of photos and it’ll be cool to look back on,” said senior Maya C.
It appears that Minga had numerous flaws and that the switch the administration made will be for the best. Underclassmen will simply have to ask their upperclassmen friends to bring them lunch.
