Elise Nelson/Winonan

Hailey Klein, recent graduate, turned to Wazoo’s List after graduation to exchange household wants and needs.

For some students, Wazoo’s List is a way for them to get rid of items they no longer use. For students like Klein, it is also a way to find inexpensive items.

Klein said going from graduating to having a job, there’s a break where there’s no solid income, so Wazoo’s list has been convenient.

“It’s been like having a garage sale whenever I want,” she said.

Director of web communications Mollee Sheehan created the group in spring 2013 when she noticed an increased number of students wanting to connect via Winona State Facebook groups to advertise and share resources.

“There were a lot of people with stuff to get rid of or services to give,” Sheehan said. “If people needed stuff, needed a bike, someone wanted to get rid of a bike.”

Sheehan said another reason for uniting the Winona State community through Wazoo’s List was it encouraged the use of recourses in a sustainable fashion.

“Sustainability was a big driver for connecting those things,” Sheehan said. “So that’s kind of the advantage, meeting needs right here on campus.”

Klein said it also has the potential to cut down on litter around campus.

“I definitely think it’s nice because a lot of people on there are posting ads for subleasers,” Klein said. “It cuts down on littering our campus with papers that people end up tearing down or the wind takes down.”

Sheehan emphasized the benefits of sustainability and resource sharing within the community as reasons why students might choose Wazoo’s List over sites like Craigslist.

“It’s the Winona State community,” Sheehan said, “so there’s some type of familiarity.”

Klein agreed saying individuals might feel more comfortable using Wazoo’s List because they know members are part of the same community.

“I’m more comfortable buying from someone who Winona State has approved,” Klein said. “I know that it’s not coming from some like crazy, smoker, cat lady’s house.”

However, for some students the Facebook layout has its drawbacks.

“There’s no categorizing for what you’re looking for, kind of like Craigslist,” Josh Rumppe, a junior communications major, said. “It’s kind of a free-for-all for everything.”

Sheehan said Facebook was the right fit for Wazoo’s List because of its popularity among students.

“I just think Facebook was the natural place for it,” Sheehan said. “Because everyone’s already there.”

Contact Elise at [email protected]