Getting adjusted to college life is a very difficult task. The question arises—does social media help or harm college life and career goals? Social media is an enormous part of our lives and is the main source of communication for today’s youth. So with the college school year recently starting and the application process beginning, the effects of social media are making a huge impact. 

Jordan Aschenbach (Valley alumni and a freshman at Boston University) met his roommates and new friends via online apps. Aschenbach, who is a part of the College of Arts and Sciences, was added to a Facebook group containing almost all of the students who would be part of this program once he was accepted. From there, the group chats got smaller and smaller. This was until, he was a part of a group chat containing his now closest friends. Many of his peers had similar experiences. 

Social media can be a great form of communication, and a great way to meet new people from all over the world; many of whom are now all going to be living in the same town. However, there is an extreme downside to meeting new people online. “The majority of people portray themselves the way they want others to see them, but when it comes to real-life they are not the same person,” Aschenbach says when asked about his interactions with his new friends. Social media can also act as a distraction. Joanna Liput (Valley alumni and a freshman at Rutgers University) says, “ [Social media] takes time away from my studies and distracts me from college life.”

Even though social media has its drawbacks, it seems to be extremely helpful a majority of the time. College is a scary place, but having an idea of who you may be sharing a room with can be very helpful. Aschenbach, who considers himself an introvert, praised the experience, claiming that “before you even step foot on campus, you get to interact with hundreds and thousands of people you would otherwise spend months trying to find or meet.”