During this past summer, the undertaking of preparation required to start my first year of college was incredibly nerve-racking and overwhelming. There were all the forms to fill out and hours of modules to watch. I had to worry about buying everything I needed for my dorm room to make it feel like a home. On top of that, I had work and all the summer activities I wanted to check off my bucket list. I was waffling between wishing summer would stretch on forever and the part where I was all settled into college life. I worried that the dorms would feel overcrowded, and what if the dining halls served mystery meat? Will my weekends be dull? Will my classes feel suffocating? Will the students and professors be easy to talk to? The questions flooded my brain, so seeing reminders of why I chose Connecticut College on the school’s social media was incredibly helpful.
I pride myself on how often I check my email, but keeping up to date with all the emails sent during the summer proved difficult. Connecticut College’s social media activity provided information in a more fun, engaging, and supportive format than the daunting emails. I mostly looked at the Instagram account @conncollege, but you can also find them on LinkedIn, TikTok, Facebook, X, Threads, and YouTube.
I spoke to Clare O’Brien, Connecticut College’s Content Creator for Digital Marketing and Communications, Christelle Lachapelle, the Director of Digital Marketing, and Danny Rockwell, the Social Media Videographer. These three were incredible to talk to, and they showed me how much they truly care about hearing student feedback and highlighting student voices in their posts. The team posted “CONNcise” videos, a Get To Know You style video introducing professors and students. These are some of Christelle’s favorites as she feels that they give professors, students, and staff the opportunity to “share their stories.” The page also highlights impressive student internships, like Cecily Hetzel ‘24, who was awarded a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to teach English to children in the Canary Islands. As someone interested in studying English and working with kids, her achievement inspired me and made me confident that Conn would support me in my endeavors.
On Instagram, Conn would post reminders about deadlines for the class of 2028, keeping us on task. They posted student takeovers to “show Conn through the eyes of a student,” said O’Brien. Additionally, the page would post some funny videos of the school’s mascot, Humphrey the camel. When I inquired about Humphrey, O’Brien replied, “They’re a physical embodiment of Connecticut College. They’re a logo, and a funny one at that.” Lachapelle described the mascot as “absurd, but that’s what makes it fun.” Rockwell’s favorite series was “Conn Giving Day,” where they had the camel in silly situations to show what Conn would be like without funding. When I would tell my high school friends about Conn over the summer, the mascot was one of the first things I mentioned because I thought it was so hilarious and was one of many elements that made the college unique.
A series called “Camel Cribs” was the one I studied most intently. These videos featured students showing off their dorms around campus, giving a glimpse into Conn’s residential life.
I would love to see the series explore different facets of campus life in the future. I would’ve loved to see more of the dining hall and even full tours of the residence halls that include the common rooms, hallways, and bathrooms. In my book, social media is a highlight reel, and it’s great to see all the highlights of Connecticut College, but I also want an idea of what my realistic day-to-day life is going to look like.
When I asked the social media team what they hope to include in the future, they said, “Anything from a student’s perspective.” They hope to highlight life outside the classroom, like our strong athletics program and the community of New London, to name a few. The team wants the social media to encourage prospective students to see themselves at Conn, going beyond what the website can provide.
Since arriving on campus, I discovered more social media accounts that keep students up to date on what’s happening at Conn. The Instagram account @connchronicles posts the series ‘Keeping Up With the Camels,’ which allows current students to talk about their lives on and off campus. There’s also @dineatconn on Instagram, which alerts students to what the dining halls are serving each day. Most clubs and organizations have social media to show how to find community outside of classes.
Over the summer, I would often worry if I picked the right school, and I wondered if Conn would live up to how it appeared on social media. Every institution has some elements it could improve on. The dorms aren’t perfectly clean and the dining halls don’t have quite the variety I thought they would, but it’s nothing that ruins my day and I don’t regret my decision to come to Connecticut College. All the campus clubs I’ve joined or am in the process of joining have been so welcoming to me, like The College Voice and a cappella groups! There’s an overall friendly vibe in the student body. I get to take beautiful morning walks in the enchanted forest (The Arboretum) and watch the squirrels be their merry selves. I can’t wait to keep building CONNections in this community with exuberance I could sense through the social media.
