Find community

Want to praise someone or get something off your chest? Darts & Pats is the place to do it. Submit your own at breezejmu.org.

Students should engage with social media accounts affiliated with JMU clubs and organizations

A “happy-Valentine’sDay” pat to my roommate who got me a gift.

From someone who appreciates their thoughtfulness.

A “what’s-that-smell” dart to my car that broke down.

From someone who has enough anxiety to deal with.

A “what-does-thismean” dart to a vague professor.

From someone who felt stupid when reading their instructions.

New places, new people, new experiences. It’s overwhelming. Finding like-minded people in college might just seem impossible. JMU social media accounts are a great way to find new friends.

People of similar interests tend to follow similar accounts. If people follow accounts on social media they like, it creates a page for people who have similar interests to come together.

For example, if someone’s passion is spending time outdoors, JMU Outdoor Adventure Club’s Instagram page, @jmuoutdooradventure, would be a great place to find other people who like nature. With these accounts, comes community. On these social media pages there are posts, comments, likes and followers that all center around the same thing. Being within these groups makes people feel seen, represented and, at times, safe. Community is important for people. Finding a sense of belonging and engaging in social connection is important to a student’s health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, health risk related to substance use, mental health, violence and sexual health is significantly less likely in adulthood when youth feel connected at school. see SOCIAL MEDIA , page 25 from SOCIAL MEDIA, page 24

According to Wellbeing People, a wellness provider, community allows the sharing of personal relatedness and support for perpetual growth. It also allows for the embrace of vital elements of health like pride, character, image and spirit.

Students can look at any social media account and decide for themselves if it’s for them. If a student identifies with the group, they can join the community by the click of a button: a simple follow.

Following a JMU social media account allows for a student to decide how active they want to be. Each student has their own social limits — social media allows for a safe space for a student to decide how engaged they wish to be. Interactions can be as limited as liking a post or as interactive as attending the events these accounts advertise .

An “estoy-feliz” pat to my Spanish professor who cancelled class because he thought we seemed stressed.

From someone who was stressed.

JMU has over 450 clubs and organizations, and there’s a very wide variety of them. A club can be found for any interest, major or sport. Attending club meetings might be intimidating when someones unsure whether a club is the right fit. Looking at a club’s social media presence is a great option t o see the inner workings of a club without the risk of rejection. Students can see the club or organization’s ideals, goals, people and activities before dedicating any of their time or money.

JMU social media accounts are also a great way to find information or things to do around campus. @sydney.lelia said JMU social media accounts “are my main source of info,” in response to a poll posted by The Breeze’s Instagram account.

If you’re looking for new clubs to join, to talk to new people or sing your heart out, social media is a great way to find the opportunities. To look for special events like concerts, movies, late night breakfast and even more, you could follow the JMU University Program Board @upbjmu on Instagram. If you want to make sure you don’t miss the next crafternoon or tea time, JMU student activities, @jmustudentactivies on Instagram, might be a good account to follow. The JMU social media account for you is out there, now it’s just time to go follow

CONTACT Hailey Ruffner at ruffnehl@ dukes.jmu.edu. For more editorials regarding the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, follow the opinion desk on Instagram and Twitter @Breeze_Opinion.