This year during Club Rush, a large number of clubs faced a common issue: underclassmen unwilling to join Facebook groups. As a result, clubs in general received fewer sign-ups and were unable to give necessary information to freshmen and sophomores who would have considered joining.
The freshman class seems particularly set against Facebook. It has minimal Facebook presence and doesn’t even have a class Facebook page; in addition, only 65 out of all 283 sophomores are members of their class Facebook page, which hasn’t posted since last May and has little activity. The reality is that underclassmen rarely use the app in their personal lives and don’t bother to download Facebook or start using it for a school club.
What’s wrong with this picture? The app makes for easier and more standardized communication.
People aged 13 to 17 years old represent only 4.2% of Facebook’s users as of September. Teens prefer alternative social media platforms like Instagram (also owned by parent company Meta). Many clubs use Instagram accounts for announcements, but Instagram’s interface isn’t ideal for sending out documents and information.
Discord has also gained popularity as an alternative platform for clubs. The messaging and communication app was originally more focused on the gaming community, but has transitioned to educational uses.
However, Discord shares the same problem as Facebook: A lot of students don’t use Discord normally and won’t bother to check a Discord server often for a club.
Since both these popular platforms do not have dominance over the other, the problem of not having one messaging app that all students use presents itself.
As there is no messaging app that all students use frequently, underclassmen need to realize that the pre-established club groups through Facebook are still the best option.
The school should consider promoting Facebook usage by transitioning important announcements onto the school Facebook page. Additionally, school clubs should further advertise the benefits of joining their Facebook groups and give more incentives for students to join them.
Without having to be begged or bribed with food, underclassmen need to accept the minor inconvenience and take a minute to get a Facebook account and be part of the school community.
