Why Students Feel More Disconnected Than Ever

 Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the student experience has changed in many ways, which we are still adjusting to years later. Events were cancelled, classes were moved online and building new connections was only possible through a screen. Even as Universities and Colleges reopened, many students are struggling to form meaningful connections and feel that sense of community. This isn’t just about missing a few nights out, it represents a loss in social and academic opportunities which are essential for getting the most out of the university/college experience. 

Research has made it clear how prevalent this is, with 92% of students experiencing loneliness, and nearly half of these worrying that they would feel judged if they admitted to feeling lonely. Most students need meaningful friendships to strive, and building those emotional connections is essential to tackle the feeling of isolation. However, with the increased levels of social anxiety within students post-COVID, going out and meeting new people is a lot easier said than done.  

Due to the rise of technology in recent years, many students find themselves in superficial relationships with their peers, relying solely on social media for interactions, which often lacks emotional depth. A heavy reliance on messaging apps instead of face-to-face interactions results in students being less likely to make plans or attend events without developing a purposeful relationship with someone. Additionally, exposure to idealised images on the internet creates a sense of FOMO, leaving students feeling isolated and discouraged from reaching out to social groups they perceive as well-established or by going themselves. 

SociaLink addresses these issues by initiating participation in university campus events and study groups, allowing students to meet peers with similar interests and academic courses. By encouraging collaboration among students, SociaLink creates social networks and strengthens their motivation through study partnerships, improving their overall university experience.  

Building Your Professional and Social Network with Socialink

Socialink is a new form of social media, which aims to merge the gap between the online space which is taking over more and more of everybody's life's, and the real world, where many truly meaningful interactions have traditionally happened. With this new technology, we aim to connect these two, massively different, landscapes by giving users the ability to establish connections with people at events, universities or any other physical environment that each user is attending. The product is aimed primarily at students, as this is the demographic which looks to gain the most from using the social network, however it can be used beneficially by almost anybody.

Users can sign up to this social media and apply to different communities which will be an online representation of physical spaces they find themselves in. For example, a Socialink user may wish to go to a concert and watch their favourite band, but they are afraid to go alone, either for safety or social reasons. By joining a community for this concert on Socialink, the user will be able to communicate with others in similar situations and create connections prior to the concert. Now this user has options, through meeting people on the social network, they now have friends who they will be able to meet at the event and they can avoid feeling isolated.

Not only can this tool be used for standalone events, like concerts or festivals, but students joining a new university may also find companionship easier through Socialink. Starting at university is a very daunting period, and although the opportunities to make friends are plentiful, not everyone finds it easy to start conversations with strangers. Using Socialink, students would be able to find others in the online community who are in a similar situation, at the same university. Within the university community there may be other 'sub-communities', which are more specific to interests, locations, age etc. This helps students branch out in a way they may feel more comfortable doing, whilst leading to real life connections. This, in turn, can lead to these users finding it easier to meet people in real life, through networking and expanding their reach through friends of these newly made friends.

Although these last two examples have shown the benefits Socialink can have in terms of making friends and helping with social situations, this technology could also prove fruitful in a professional setting. By making use of the communities, like-minded business-people, entrepreneurs and even investors can reach out to each other and help further their brand and products. Of course, employees at a firm could also use this tool similarly to the previous examples, using it to meet other people at work they may not usually interact with. 

Socialink can be such an important tool as a result of its versatility. Since it is dedicated to linking the physical world to social media, it is unique in the sense that it is to be used as more of a tool for networking, rather than a standalone social media. These three examples are a very limited view into how useful Socialink can be, for countless different situations.