By Gerard Fiorenza iii
In our ever-changing world, reliance on social media has become an essential characteristic of our society. It can be utilized for communicating with friends and family, posting professional experience on LinkedIn for intended employment or for posting fun and creative content in the case of video. TikTok, the social media platform in which creators can post whatever types of content they please, has garnered much popularity in the past few years, as some users (specifically Charli D’Amelio and Addison Rae) have become wealthier than Fortune 500 executives. However, the app is also applicable to campus life, as in the case of our very own, Adelphi University. Some of our students have banded together to help operate Adelphi’s very own TikTok account.
TikTok, a multi-diverse streaming app that allows you to share mini clips of videos amongst audience members. Adelphi University is one of the latest programs to pick up the social platform.
The Adelphi TikTok page was created in early 2020, with its earliest post coming in October 2020, displaying our students. Whether it be spending time with friends in our Nexus building or students in the Performing Arts Center, while staying safe from Covid-19, the reels had an impact. An example post that the page made joked about how students rush to fill out their Covid-19 screening questionnaire to then show it to a Public Safety employee. Some of the other content posted was Adelphi news and updates (such as that of our UC Renovation), a short clip encouraging students for Good Luck on their Finals, as well as a continuous series for the TikTok entitled Humans of Adelphi. The premise of the series is to often display students introducing themselves and giving information about themselves, such as what their field of study is and why they chose Adelphi.
Mariam Baalbaki was among those featured. A first-year history major, she explained how her favorite spot on campus was the library couches, which she claimed serve as a “quiet and relaxing spot to study.”
She also explained why she chose her major, citing that Adelphi has a “really great program” and that she has hopes for law school in the future.
Another individual featured was Karen Costello, an Adelphi alum who is currently employed as a nurse. As an adjunct professor she teaches nutrition for nursing, as well as healing in the arts. She explained her favorite aspect of teaching the latter is when service dogs come in with their owner, who is a veteran with PTSD and a traumatic brain injury. The veteran explains how the service dogs really helped him cope with his situation and give him the capability of living a normal life again.
The TikTok account is run by six students, one of whom is senior communications major Ana Rodriguez. She said that the purpose of the account is, “…to offer a new, fun, fresh platform on life at Adelphi.”
Stephanie Cryan, assistant director of social media at Adelphi, said, “I couldn't agree more [with Ana’s statement]. The account allows us to share information and aspects of Adelphi's life in a fun, new way. It allows us to reach a larger audience and keep our community connected in new ways.”
Qamara Khan, another student who assists in operating the account, delved into the direction they would like to go, saying she would hope the account could be, “somewhere for students to talk about campus and classes in a way they're comfortable and familiar with.”
Cryan added, “We want to continue sharing information and programs with students in a way that they want to see. We also want to continue to share videos that are relatable to our community and help them see that they’re not alone with how they’re feeling—and ways we can help our community when we’re able to do so.”
The students who are operating the account have done a tremendous job in highlighting the amazing students and professors who make Adelphi so special. We can’t wait to see the upcoming content they post.