Meeting and connecting with classmates is a huge part of college life, but during my first semester in the World Campus, apart from online discussions, there was little opportunity to interact with my fellow students. There was none of the chitchatting, talking shop, or comparing notes that happen in real life. I definitely felt FOMO! Since then I have found several ways to virtually “meet and greet” my peers online and thought I’d share them with you.
Join a Club or Organization
One of the first things I did was join The World Campus Student Government Association (WCSGA). I ran for Technology Chair and have been serving for the past year and a half. I’ve met students, faculty, and administrators that have connected me to the Penn State culture. I’ve also learned how student government works and had a say on initiatives that benefit students. In addition to WCSGA, there are many World Campus clubs and organizations you can join to help you get more of the Penn State experience. You can find them here.
Attend Virtual/In-Person Events
Last September I attended the World Campus Student Leadership Conference which was a 2-day, hybrid (in-person and virtual) event at University Park. There were lots of educational workshops to choose from and I got to meet face-to-face with colleagues I had only known through Zoom til then. That weekend I was one of a few students that represented their campuses at the All-University Day football game and we all marched on the football field during half-time. Huge thrill! To find out about things that are going on in the World Campus visit the Events Calendar.
Take Advantage of Free Collaboration Tools
Another way I’ve gotten to know students in the World Campus is through the text messaging app GroupMe. In my second semester I joined one group for my program (MPS in Strategic Comms) and since then have joined or started others for each individual class I’ve taken. There are conversations going on every day and I can jump in if I have something to say or just see what others are talking about. You can give tips on classes you’ve already taken or check if others can help you with questions you have. You can also find support if you’re frustrated and just need to vent. If your class doesn’t have a GroupMe yet, it’s super easy to start one and invite your classmates.
For the Tech Committee, MS Teams and Zoom work best for quick texts and meetings.
Here’s what some of my fellow WCSGA members use to stay connected online:
“I typically use Discord to communicate with my classmates. At the start of most of my classes, I will go and create a Discord Server which is essentially a big chat room and send the join link to my classmates via Canvas Inbox. I find Discord the most practical because it’s pretty user-friendly, and you can create different “chat rooms” inside of your ultimate server/ chat room to keep files more organized! I have also used Teams, WhatsApp, and GroupMe as other means of communication for my classmates and me throughout my journey at Penn State so far!”
Nicole Kisslinger (She/Her)
Penn State World Campus Class of ’22
Digital Multimedia Design | Digital Arts
Co-Founder & Vice President | Delta Gamma Chi
Vice President | PSUWC Pride
Student Affairs | WCSGA
“So far, I have mainly used GroupMe to communicate with classmates. My Spanish group decided to use GroupMe last semester for coordinating study sessions and group projects, and it was very helpful! It’s an easy app to use overall, from setting up new groups to participating in multiple groups at once. I would definitely recommend GroupMe to other students, and I will likely use it again myself this semester for communication with classmates.”
Mollie Guba
Class of 2025, and a Law and Society major
“Zoom has actually been the most valuable go-to collaboration tool in my courses. It’s a tool that is already widely used in my program for formal project presentations and events, and so everyone is already very familiar with it. In group projects, we tend to coordinate over Canvas or email for scheduling meeting times and then jump on Zoom to get to work. The screen sharing, multiple options for joining from different devices and just the ease of creating meeting links and calendar invites make it easy.”
Matt Hansen
Master’s of Geographic Information Systems Program
“I use WhatsApp, Teams, GroupMe, and Discord. I have found my favorite is WhatsApp because it is easier for me to use. I am learning how to use Discord currently but it is a bit confusing, although it seems easier to organize different subgroups into the main group. I am glad that we can utilize apps like these, otherwise, I would have nonstop text messages and emails.” 😁
Ariel Hinojos
Penn State World Campus Class of ’22
B.A. Candidate – Law & Society
World Campus Student Government Association| Vice President
Students with Children | Treasurer
Blue & White Society | Member
Phi Delta Phi | Member
World Campus Homecoming |Executive Director
Delta Gamma Chi| Co-founder
Student Ambassador| Smart Track Mentor
Penn State World for THON| Executive Chair
Connecting with students is a great way to grow our professional network, get better grades, and build camaraderie. Go out and get to know some wonderful people today!
Carmina Pérez
WCSGA Technology Committee | Chair
MPS Strategic Communications Class of ’22