‘UUUNNNAAAYYY!’

We all love smashing pints, getting dressed up as nuns and putting used johnnies in our housemate’s chemistry folder. Perhaps it was a supreme recognition of this university banter that prompted a rural farmer from the Garut Regency in Indonesia to name his daughter, Uni Unay.

Regardless of motivations, the iconic name has catapulted the unsuspecting 18-year-old to Facebook stardom amongst the British student population. She has amassed over 700 friends in the past month and inspired the setting up of a t-shirt company selling white shirts with ‘I am Uni Unay’ printed on them.

Her Facebook wall has become a canvas for university students, posting most hours on anything from metaphysical musings to simple reverence in the case of Tom Thornhill’s post, “unnnnnnnnnnnnaaaaaaayyyyy miss you”.

A twitter account has been set up in her honour with over 350 followers and has founded a grass-roots campaign entitled #getunaytounay.

The strangest part is that the girl does not appear to speak a word of English. Her status updates are in Indonesian, but still attract over 40 likes on average. She has declined to respond to most posts in English.

Charlie Reynolds from Oxford University posted in Indonesian, “We save money so you can come visit us. Soon, you will be strawpedoing everything you can get your hands on, because you’re touring all the universities in the UK. Look forward to your visit.” But to no response.

Exeter students Alex Calver and Ross Bentley claim to have found her first on Facebook after a friend’s promise that he would name his firstborn Unay prompted them to search ff there was anyone on Facebook with that name.

The craze has since spread across England, with students from Bristol, Manchester, Newcastle and Durham all befriending this mythical figure.  Her compatriot Unay Fannay has also been unearthed and is attracting similar adulation.

One third-year history student commented, “I was overjoyed to have my friend request accepted by Uni Unay that I found myself breaking into spontaneous chant and am now awaiting contact with her distant relative, Houn Up.”

Uni Unay’s facebook page can be found here: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002636318148