By Matthew Becerra, August 26, 2025
Social media pages, online group chats, Discord servers and other online spaces are becoming increasingly popular as first-year and transfer students find new ways to introduce themselves to each other before they set foot on campus.
Some freshmen have already shared pictures of themselves on class-specific Instagram accounts like @CPP_Class2029. Students on these accounts introduce themselves through posts with information like their name, hometown, majors and hobbies.
Beyond class-specific pages, students with similar majors or hobbies formed other groups to connect on a deeper level.
Clubs and organizations also pay attention to these pages and other students social media posts at Cal Poly Pomona as a way to reach new members. The CPP Skate Club manages its own Instagram group chat and Discord where incoming members are invited. Students meet other skaters on campus through these groupchats, making it easier to feel less pressure about making friends according to Silas Rivera, math student.
“It’s cool because you can make plans,” Rivera said. “When I was done with classes and wanted to skate, it made everything convenient. Without the group chat, you’d have to meet people randomly, the group chat made it easier.”
Another online space for communication among CPP students is Discord, which has become a platform for both academic and social interaction. Each server has channels dedicated to specific tasks, such as studying, housing questions and career development. Some servers are geared toward individual classes and others to programs like the college of engineering and the art department.
For new students, these servers provide a place to ask questions without the social pressure of walking up to somebody they’ve never met before. It also makes it easier to create study groups or get advice from other students, according to computer science student Arina Palance.
“In class, people can be shy and won’t immediately talk to the person next to them,” Palance said. “On Discord, students are more comfortable finding a group.”
It is also a place where students can discuss resources and is a reliable way to get information about their classes.
“Sometimes it’s about books or class resources,” Palance said. “Sometimes the teacher might announce something and not everyone sees it. On Discord, you’ll see it first there even before you check your email.”
One of the most notable platforms students use outside of Instagram and Discord is Nearpeer, which is an app meant to connect students to each other on campus.
The process of making a Nearpeer account walks students through several questions like identity, major, passions and special interests on campus. The app contains group chats for campus activities, programs/majors, social groups and housing.
These group chats are personalized for students based on their experiences. There are chats for first-gen students, transfer students, commuters and more.
Not everyone is drawn to online connection, though. Some students on campus still believe in meeting other students in person as a more genuine way to build friendships. While online methods are more convenient, animation student Ivan Avalos said meeting people face to face feels more natural.
“I’m not in any group chats,” Avalos said. “I just talk to people on campus or in class.”
The effect these online spaces have on students can be significant. It can bring students a sense of community by giving them familiar names and faces. It can also help minimize the stress of showing up to a new environment and provide a place for them to get questions answered when it comes to class resources and choosing professors.
“It really helps for the students who are new to the major” Palance said “Now I’m a senior its more resources for the class like books”
