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Your Campus Story: Do’s and Don’ts for Snapchat’s Collegiate Feature

Say what you want about Snapchat. Its lies about messages “disappearing,” its inherently insecure system, and a general lack of care for your privacy can be cause for concern, but the social media app’s developers sure do know their target audience: drunk college kids.

Two weeks ago, Snapchat rolled out Our Campus Story to a number of schools, including Penn State. The feed is a user-generated flow of curated content that provides a real-time glimpse into college life. Whether it’s making those stuck studying jealous, or making alumni reminisce about their glory days, Campus Story has clearly been a hit among students. Every mildly-entertaining snap with which I’ve been involved since its unveiling has been accompanied by “wait, you have to put this on Campus Story.”

No, you really don’t.

See, the thing about curated content is that some poor intern at Snapchat HQ is stuck sorting through your 600 drunk selfies with the analog clock filter spread across them. Beyond that, the #content that ends up on the feed is some of the most boring, generic shit possible.

“Oh wow, this party has flashing lights and Natty, I should take a 10-second video to show how hard we rage” is a thought that has evidently gone through 40,000 people’s heads in the last two weeks. But guys, here’s the thing: only people on or around the campus can see the story. We all know what a basement party looks like, thanks.

How many pictures of Old Main are gonna end up on there? They already fill up our Instagram feeds. You suck at Campus Story and you should feel bad about it. But that’s okay, because Onward State, as always, is here to help. The do’s and don’ts of Campus Story should be taken as a sort of 10 commandments of Snapchat, but apply most specifically to Penn State.

1. DO be unique

You’re smart enough to get in to this school, so use your head. Get creative with this thing. Show everyone that new pong table you built or your friend’s dog who barks along to the alma mater or whatever.

2. DON’T regurgitate content

If you’ve seen something on the story 27 times, don’t post it again. Half the content on my feed is more played out than “Fancy.” Get your shit together, Penn State.

3. DO something crazy

If you’re gonna do something stupid, the least you could do is record yourself doing it and broadcast it to the entire university. Don’t be selfish. A video of you streaking across Beaver Stadium would be the high-end of quality content in this realm (note: don’t do that, it’s super illegal).

4. DON’T post your party

Congrats, you went to a party. Unless there are levels of depravity, nudity, or rage-ity that far exceed expectations, nobody cares. If someone goes all Madison Bumgarner and pounds a six pack in one sitting, sure, send it to us. Otherwise, you should probably spend your time, you know, partying.

5. DO show school spirit…

We are, arguably, the most well-branded school out there. A friend of mine visited from Duke last week and was shocked at how many people casually walked around campus wearing Penn State gear. Show your pride, start Zombie Nation up in a lecture, and give us something to be proud of.

6. …but not too much

Not everything with a Penn State logo on it needs to be in this feed. We understand you go to Penn State because we, too, go to Penn State. Because the feed, if you’ll recall, is only accessible at Penn State.

7. DO it for the Vine

If something would make a great Vine, odds are it’d be perfect for the story. Be funny. After all, this is cheap entertainment at its finest.

8. DON’T try so hard

The entire feed has basically been nothing but people trying way too hard to seem cool, funny, or interesting. Let it come to you, rather than forcing it.

Come on, Penn State. Get your Snapchat game together and let’s make this Campus Story feature a little less of the repetitive shots of Fireball and a little more entertaining content for our viewing pleasure.

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About the Author

Noel Purcell

Noel Purcell is Onward State's Features Editor. He's a senior Supply Chain major, but is going to law school at some point in the future and masquerades as a writer for now. He continues to disappoint his ancestors by being a complete Irish stereotype. His email is [email protected] because there were no other Noels before him. His ex-wife got the good half of his bio in the divorce settlement.

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