Unofficial Ventura High Instagram accounts explained

Ventura High School Instagram accounts, those which are not affiliated to the official school accounts (@asb_vhs, @vhs_college_career_center, etc) are often led by an anonymous user, and have increased in number. Since the beginning of the 2021-2022 school year, several accounts have either been created or reactivated after a period of inactivity.

Some examples of these accounts are @_vhs_shipordip, @vhscougiefanpage and @vhsbathrooms. Through direct message @vhs.tea.page said, “Honestly it was started as a joke, but we quickly gained a following and people seem to enjoy sending stuff in and interacting on the page.” 

@vhs.tea.page shares “tea.” Tea is slang for gossip, usually involving students and teachers. @vhs.tea.page said, “We have had a close encounter [of getting caught] with a teacher requesting to follow us before.”

Junior Isabelle Rivera is against gossip accounts, “I honestly think it’s sad that people have to go so low to make themselves feel better than other people. It’s honestly really stupid that it has come to this point because honestly coming out of quarantine, we should be trying to make the most out of life and not bring people down.”

Other than “tea” accounts, there are “shipping” accounts. Shipping accounts post different people and try to “ship” them (meaning they would make a good couple). Shippee sophomore John Marsh said, “I mean I was fine with [being shipped].” 

@vhsbathrooms, who was recently featured in this Cougar Press article about the devious lick challenge, posts pictures of VHS bathrooms and started in 2019. These can be clogged toilets, paper towel messes, graffiti, etc. @vhsbathrooms said, “I started @vhsbathrooms as a way to show the sometimes odd and mostly gross scenes that most people walk into while also trying to be as comedic as possible about it. I wanted to be sure people could understand the point while also being able to laugh about it.”

The Cougar Press reached out to other accounts but they did not want to be interviewed.

Sophomore Quincy Lowder said, “I think the [Instagram accounts] like the cougie fanpage are fine but the tea accounts and the shipping accounts are unnecessary.”