Blogs as guides for new college students at Davidson College

Work & Workplace

In the article Back-to-School Blogging (Read, 2004) the use of blogs or online journals is discussed as a useful source of information and guidance for new students entering a college for the first time. The article discusses how blogs are useful for new Davidson College students, as they learn about campus life and also how to manage their many new responsibilities. Written by upperclassmen, many of the blog entries provide practical guidance and insights into lessons learned. There is also a candor and honesty in these blogs, which get beyond the glossy brochures of the college and provide students with a more accurate assessment of their chosen university. This discussion of the candor and honesty in blogs is what has made them exceptionally popular with college students who seek to find out what life will really be like at the colleges they are interested in attending. Blogs get beyond the claims schools make in their brochures and the voice of the students comes out loud and clear. There is also the aspect of how blogs can create stronger relationships among students because many feel they can write about things they don't necessarily want to verbalize or talk about. All in all, blogs need to be seen as a viable way for students to lean from each other and also support each other socially as well.