Building Digital Connections: How Social Media Fosters a Sense of Community

With everything negative that can be said about social media, there are also many benefits to social media as well. In a world where physical distance can separate us, social media has been an incredible tool that can transcend borders and connect people with shared passions from all over the world, creating a sense of community. Whether it’s a Facebook group or just following different people online, people from all over can come together and bond with people that they otherwise would never have the opportunity to meet. In my previous blog post, I talked about how it can lead to people feeling isolated and alone, but for people with social anxiety who have struggled with putting themselves out there, building connections from behind a screen in your own home can have the opposite effect and help them feel like they finally have a place where they belong.

I think one specific example that comes to mind is when I was a senior in high school and I had just committed to the University of Oregon. When you are going through this transition period in your life, it can be really scary to think about how you are about to go out into the world for the first time on your own, not knowing anybody at all. When I was going through this, I was so nervous that I was not going to make any friends or find anyone that I could be roommates with. Then I found out that there were Facebook groups online, where people from all over who were in the same position as me could connect with other incoming freshmen and start communicating with them and building relationships. I found my freshman-year roommate through one of these online groups and she is still one of my roommates to this day, as well as being one of my best friends. Without that opportunity to find each other online, we would have never met and my life would be very different today. 

Do you feel like online/social media connections have the capability to be as genuine as real life connections?