A presentation leading to a discussion of ideas about what we—as social media and content managers, and as members of a college community—can do to help create a supportive, inclusive, welcoming environment for all students. Delivered at #ConfabEDU 2015 in New Orleans.
'Am I the only one ...?' Personalizing 'social' to connect with students.
1.
2. ‘Am I the only one?’
Personalizing ‘social’ to
connect with students
Tim Nekritz
Associate Director of Communications and Marketing
Director of Digital Communications
SUNY Oswego
3. Disclaimer
The following presentation features
adult language, troubling data, Yik Yak
posts and the slaughtering of sacred
cows. Side effects could range from
strong emotions to a desire to sing
‘80s/’90s songs.
5. Sobering stats
• Around 1 of every 4 adults lives with a
diagnosable mental health disorder.
• About 1 in 3 college students report feeling so
depressed they have had trouble functioning.
• But 18-24-year-olds are least likely adult age
group to seek help.
• More than 80% of college students have felt
overwhelmed in past year; 45% felt hopeless.
- ActiveMinds.org
6. Moreover …
• “More than half of college students have had
suicidal thoughts and 1 in 10 students seriously
consider attempting suicide. Half of students
who have suicidal thoughts never seek
counseling or treatment.”
- ActiveMinds.org
8. Together but alone
• “Am I the only one … ?“
One of the most used phrases in our Class of 2019
Facebook group – rhetoric or more?
Reported by our counseling staff:
• “Everybody’s having more fun than I am”
• “Everybody else is fine”
• “I’m the only one not having fun”
12. The Big Lie: Generational stereotypes
• “This generation is destined to do worse than its parents. They
expect to live in their parents’ basements after they graduate
college with crippling debt. That they prefer to look for
fulfilling work instead of the entry-level jobs of previous
generations will stunt their professional progress.”
• “This generation has a can-do spirit, a happy-go-lucky outlook.
They are bound to do better than their parents and take
responsibility for this arduous task. They have learned to cope
and find resilience wherever they can. They are the destined
to become the next great generation.”
14. The Big Myth: Social ‘reality’
•Don’t compare your everyday
existence with everybody else’s
highlight reel
•Everybody hurts
•More connected than ever; more
alone than ever
16. The trouble with professionalization
•We tell kids they can
be anything they want
(even Spider-Man).
•But when they get to college, some
pigeonhole them (Briggs-Myers,
StrengthQuest, etc.).
17. The trouble with silos
• If you build a support system but people have to
come to you, it’s not a service – it’s a castle.
25. What are they saying/doing?
• What are students posting on Yik Yak and other social
media (both in terms of problems and encouraging
words)?
• Are any current students or offices producing great
content on making friends/beating homesickness/other
issues?
• What conversations are coming up that haven’t been
addressed enough?
• Don’t be afraid to just talk to students you know and see
what they’re going through.
29. Create/find content
• Photos of events
• Blog entries
• Videos (our Counseling Services already made some)
• Link to great resources
• Words of survivors from panel:
• “Talk about your problems with somebody.”
• “Know what support systems are around and know that many
people care.”
• “Plan a coping strategy. Find things you enjoy doing or friends
who can distract you when necessary.”
• “Self-talk has really helped. I find words and phrases that
reassure me.”
31. Students tackle topics/Qs
• Homesickness
• Being yourself (and appreciating yourself)
• Getting out of a rut
• Making (and losing) friends
• Getting involved (and doing it early)
• Time management
• Emotional rollercoasters
• Tips on succeeding
32. Seek + share student advice
We crowd-sourced info to help students with transition
36. Celebrate our flaws
• Fun fact: Our college
founder Edward Austin
Sheldon was a college
dropout and business
failure
• We are all flaws in
progress
• Show that people fail
sometimes and how they
develop resilience
• Everybody loves an
underdog story
• Everybody loves a
comeback story
38. Where can they go?
• Whom can they contact?
• On-campus resources
• Online resources
• Helpful advice
• Any guidance
(even something
you can copy and
paste into
Yik Yak when
needed)
39. Amherst College wellness
Features include:
• Who do you appreciate?
• Promotes storytelling
and helpful programs
• Healthy Minds Film
Competition
(national,$1,000 prize for
short films on dealing
w/stress)
• Promotes discussions
and other paths to
understanding, self-
awareness and support
43. Reach out
• What are other colleges/colleagues/orgs
doing?
• What’s working?
• What’s not working?
• What could be working better?
[Audience participation?]
44. Real talk:
When I started this presentation,
I thought and/or hoped I’d find
more colleges addressing this via
social media.