My coworker and I were recently talking about what restaurant he should take a friend to later that day. I suggested a lovely place right on the water, and told him he should call and make a reservation, just in case. He said,

Psh! Call? Who calls anymore! There’s an app for that.

I thought about how much easier it would be to just make a 10 second phone call, but apparently we often feel that tapping a few buttons is easier than mustering up the energy to talk to a human.

Let’s face it, staring at a small screen while walking, talking, and breathing is here to stay. We can’t fight the rapid increase of ways to use our cell phones, so why don’t we beat the trend at its own game?

This month, #SApros of various backgrounds will share how they have used apps, texting, and all things “mobile phone” to encourage students on their campuses to interact with each other. There are endless possibilities in this realm – from scavenger hunts to selfie contests. As the millennials become more and more of the student affairs professional population, I am sure the creative use of cell phones has increased dramatically. The goal, of course, should be to use this tech to engage the students with each other, face to face. This type of mindset fosters community on campus and makes the student experience a much more rewarding one.

This outcome can show up in many ways:

 – Conversations and buzz within the student population about the event or activity

– Teaming up between students to meet a goal or win a challenge

– A sense of comfort with the tools being utilized that brings a sense of comfort of being in the community

– A common “language” that can be shared

I can’t wait to explore these ideas with you!