The average colour of the universe is called cosmic latte and is a beige-ish white. Turbidity is the cloudiness of a fluid created by particles not visible to the naked eye. The medullary cavity is the spongy part of a long bone that creates calcium for birds to produce eggshells. 

And these are just excerpts from the first few bookmarked articles in my dear Wikipedia app. 

My long-standing relationship with Wikipedia has gotten me through long bus rides and sleepless nights. I’ve managed to pack away tidbits of the world inside of my head, and I owe all to the one and only Wikipedia. 

As the largest catalogue of information in the world, Wikipedia has built quite a name for itself. Both positive and negative, the connotations surrounding this online resource stem mainly from how accessible it is to the readers. However, I believe that the supposed downsides of Wikipedia are truly what makes it so great. 

Wikipedia is run by you, me and everyone else. 

It is a user-generated resource that relies on volunteers to contribute and share the endless information that we typically do not have access to. Naturally, this attribute has been the cause of false information spreading and is one of the reasons why Wikipedia is seen as an unreliable source.

And I agree, to an extent — the challenges of misinformation have caught the spotlight in recent years, and relying on the first link in your search for answers is not the best move.  

While it is important to be wary and not believe everything you read on the internet, we must also realize that having easy access to peer-reviewed, reliable information is far from just a click away. 

Having access to verifiable information comes with privileges that many do not have. This is known as information privilege, as this information often requires subscriptions, institutional affiliations or higher education as the means to accessing scholarly works.

Money is often the common denominator that divides those who are privileged with access to exclusive information and those who are not.

I have many privileges as a student. My access to the USask library database allows me to access a plethora of peer-reviewed journals and reliable resources, but my student budget still gets in the way sometimes.

In the past, I’ve avoided purchasing required textbooks or other resources guarded by paywalls because I’d rather pay my rent and buy my groceries. And in those situations, I’ve been saved by the warm embrace of my dear friend, Wikipedia. 

This is why I fall on the side of the debate favouring Wikipedia.

Having unlimited access to the world’s information, written by the world’s people, is a beautiful thing. 

Wikipedia is available in over 300 languages and is shaped by hundreds of thousands of contributors. And because this encyclopedia is not paper, the articles can be instantly updated, easily changing as the world does too. 

The content of Wikipedia also mirrors those who contribute to it. People from many walks of life contribute their knowledge and expertise to collaborate and share. 

The diversity that this feature brings is unlike many other sources of information because it allows for more voices to be heard. Information is not strictly filtered and policed by a few specific people — it’s up to the reader to determine what is right or wrong.

Wikipedia and I have spent a great deal of quality time together. I have learned about pieces of the world that I would never come across if it wasn’t for the little app on my phone. 

The Wikipedia entry on love describes it as “a range of strong and positive emotional and mental states, from the most sublime virtue or good habit, the deepest interpersonal affection, to the simplest pleasure.” 

My feelings for Wikipedia fall somewhere in there. 

Thank you, Wikipedia, for always being by my side. Whether in the midst of a heated debate or procrastination, I always have you to turn to. 

With love,

Rayyann

This op-ed was written by a University of Saskatchewan undergraduate student and reflects the views and opinions of the writer. If you would like to write a reply, please email opinions@thesheaf.com. Rayyann Haque is a fourth-year undergraduate student studying Archaeology and Anthropology, and is a Staff Writer at The Sheaf Publishing Society.

Graphic: Jaycen Jakubowski