Snapchat has come out with an update that allows student users to link their college to their profile. After simply verifying their admission and graduation year using their school email, people are added into a shared “Story” in which all class-members are able to post and view each other’s pictures.
The social media platform has released a variety of updates in the past year: Snapchat+ (with subscription-exclusive features), Shared Stories, and the heavily-requested username change feature. No seriously, being able to change my username was literally the best thing Snapchat could have done for me. My fifth-grade self was definitely praying on my downfall…
But Snapchat outdid itself yet again this fall. This just-released feature for college students has connected people in new and exciting ways. Students are able to post and view the various happenings around the campus, from social events to miscellaneous school updates. People have used this shared Story to report lost items, sell and purchase football game tickets, and just share whatever they find entertaining on campus.Â
But what I find particularly nice about this update is that because they are separated by graduating year, students are able to connect with people in their classes. It’s easy to feel lost in your lecture that is filled with 300 students, all of which are complete strangers to you. Walk in, take notes, and leave; there is no time or space to make friends in class easily. Who do I turn to when I need peer help on an assignment? With this new update, finding kids in your class is made simple. A simple picture with the caption “Anyone taking Econ 101?” would do the trick. All of a sudden, you have at least ten other students messaging you and offering help.Â
College is suddenly a little less lonely!
Being a freshman in college, I find this feature especially helpful. Coming from out-of-state, I knew very few people who I would be attending school with. It is easy to feel lost at a college campus, especially being surrounded by thousands of absolute strangers. And if you are anything like me, talking to these strangers can be the scariest thing in the world. So, with this newly-adopted feature, you are able to more easily find a community of people who are in the same exact boat as you are. Now, I know exactly where on campus I can buy the best boba, attend a free live performance, and find the best study area.Â
At my university, my class organized an entire funeral for a literal squirrel who we collectively named Joey, all through our shared Snapchat story. We even had a group of students who met through this story and created a band that performed at this funeral. Can you believe that?
So trust me when I say, the connections formed through this seemingly simple update are endless. Us college students are able to communicate with each other in a completely different and fun way. I am excited to see how this feature will continue to develop in the future!