College is an institution of higher learning where students come to get an education and share experiences. While there, students have the opportunity to make friends, join organizations and participate in various activities.
Some say that an individual’s college experience depends on his or her social life. An individual can be that student in economics class nobody talks to or that popular person almost every one waves at when walking by. But should popularity really matter in college?
To be popular means to be well-liked, admired or accepted. Many students believe that being popular equates to having a lot of friends and being widely known and respected. But can this benefit anyone in college?
Richard Williams, a fourth-year pre-med biology student from Miami, said popularity matters if you are running in elections.
“The more people know you, the more they’re likely to vote for you,” Williams said. “Having a lot of Twitter followers can also help make you popular.”
Elections aren’t the only reason for students to seek popularity in college. Social status plays a role as well. The more social a person is, the more attention that person gets.
However, Aisha Gray, a fourth-year psychology student from Hollywood, Fla., says students don’t need popularity to have a good social life.
“Popularity doesn’t matter in college,” Gray said. “You can be unpopular and still have fun. Your social life depends on you, not others.”
Some students also say it’s good to be popular with teachers instead of just students.
“Being popular with teachers is good because they will know that you are a good student,” Williams said. “That’s when popularity really matters.”
D’Andre Johnson, a second-year pre-physical therapy student from Atlanta, believes confidence is essential to popularity.
“It’s all about connections,” Johnson said. “Having confidence gives you popularity, which makes it easier to network.”
Many students enjoy having a lot of friends and being the life of the party. Others prefer fewer friends and staying behind the scenes. Everyone’s experiences are different, popular or not.