TOP 10 Social Network Do's And Dont's
In
the age of social network overload, it's easy to forget that one little social
media blunder can come back to haunt you. As you meet new people this fall
semester, you'll want to navigate the social media world responsibly, and keep
your online reputation as clean as possible.
Here
are 10 social media etiquette tips to start the school year off right.
1. Don't add everyone
in the 'Class of 2018' group:
Join
your school's official class group on Facebook. But don't friend request
everyone who is a part of the group.
When
you enter college or start at a new school, it's a great idea to join the
Facebook group created for your graduating class. It's an excellent way to
interact with your new peers, find out about orientation events and ask
questions like, "Where is the best place to buy used books?"
But
it isn't OK to send mass friend requests to every single person in the group. We
understand you're excited to make new friends, but this is not the ideal way to
go about it. No one wants to be forever known as that creepy person who
Facebook-friended everyone before the first day of classes.
2. Connect with your
roommate through social media.
It's
acceptable to get in touch with your roommate through Facebook — you're
eventually going to have to contact each other to arrange what each of you are
bringing to your dorm or apartment, anyway.
But
don't friend request, add, follow or subscribe to them on every social network
all at once. Seeing your name appear in a notification for every account he or
she logs into will only make you look like a stalker. Start with Facebook
first.
3. Don't post your
class schedule:
Posting
class schedules can come off as a humble brag, and lets everyone know what your
schedule is like for the week. It's better not to post it to your social media
accounts.
Some
students feel compelled to take screenshots of their class schedules and post
them for the world to see. But this could come off as a humble brag to show off
how many credits you're signed up for, or how easy your class schedule is.
It's
better to be patient and wait until the first day of classes to figure out who
your classmates are.
4. Follow your
school's resources:
Stay
informed about events, updates and more by following your college's social
media accounts.
Take
a second to support your school's social media accounts by following them on
Facebook and Twitter. These accounts can include administrative staffs,
department offices, sports teams, student media and other school-related
organizations. This is the best way to stay in the loop with campus events, the
latest news and more.
5. Refrain from posting
every detail about college:
Posting
every detail about college. Try to hold back from posting every little detail
about college.
Don't
obsess over how perfect your school is on social media. We know you're excited,
but you don't need to post, tweet or Instagram every single thing you do on
campus.
Similarly,
excessive posts about your club, fraternity or sorority can be annoying to others.
Go ahead and promote a few events every now and then, but people don't need to
see a detailed chronology from the moment you joined to now.
6. Don't add your
teachers on Facebook:
In
college you will probably have some really cool, laid-back professors. No
matter how chill your teacher is, don't add him or her on Facebook. It isn't
very professional; you probably don't want teachers to see your social media
activity anyway. Stick with email.
If
you're just dying to friend your teacher, perhaps wait until you know for sure
you won't be taking a class with him or her again.
7. Don't post
inappropriate pictures:
Keep
your online identity clean by making sure there isn't any inappropriate content
on your profile.
We
know college goes hand-in-hand with partying, but posting photos of you
drinking isn't as cool as you think. Remember, you're mostly in college to find
a job, and future employers will find a way to view your social media profile.
It's
better to be safe than sorry, so stay smart about which photos are posted
online. It's a good idea to Google your name to make sure your online presence
is clean.
8. Avoid trash
talking:
Posting
about your messy roommate. Trash talking via social media will make you look
immature.
In
an overly connected world, posting mean statuses about your smelly roommate or
boring teacher can come back to haunt you. One way or another, your roommate or
teacher could find out and our guess is that it won't end well. These kinds of
posts also look immature, so think twice.
9. Don't post
emotionally:
When
we are upset or frustrated, we're capable of saying things we later regret.
Posting an angry Facebook status or tweet can affect those on the other end.
Steer clear of social media when you're feeling down, or take a second to calm
down and think before posting.
On
that note, when final exams come around, you may notice your News Feed clogged
with complaints about how much work your friends have, how many finals they
have or how hard their classes are. Everyone in college has a lot of work to
do, and trust us, no one wants to hear it. These posts can come off as cries
for attention.
10. Make sure your Facebook
name is your real name:
If
you have some kind of weird or novelty Facebook name, get rid of it. You'll be
meeting a ton of new people in school, and it'll be difficult for them to
figure out your actual name after meeting you.
