Graphic By Yujin Kim ’23
We’ve all heard the infamous phrase, “It’s time to put down the phone,” spoken across the dinner table or silently communicated across the rows during a school meeting. Personally, the phrase haunts me: I think I’ve heard my parents say it a few too many times. No matter how many times they do, though, I always begrudgingly yield to their plea for my reintegration into the real world.
As I have grown up, I’ve fallen into the habit of using social media too much: not because I have an innate desire to scroll, but because I would argue that having an online presence is a necessary aspect of being an informed citizen in any community, but especially at a school like Choate.
Today, we see organizations using the tool of social media to further their brands. A prime example is Wendy’s. Known for their vicious insults on Twitter, they’ve built a reputation beyond being McDonalds’ lesser known competitor. Even academic institutions like Choate have taken to social media to expand their reach, engaging prospective students, Choaties, and alumni alike.
Choate’s official social media pages include: @gochoate, @choateadmission, @choateathletics, @choatearts, and more. Prior to coming to the School, I would always like to convey “demonstrated
interest” and such. Instagram perceived such attempts at flattery as hardcore interest; now, every other post on my feed is from an official Choate account.
Despite these accounts clogging my feed from time to time, I have never been too upset because Choate’s string of social media pages truly show all the facets of our school, whether you’re interested in the arts, athletics, or more. During fall term specifically, the social media manager, Ms. Laura Scaviola, did an exceptional job of capturing the essence on campus; alongside pictures of students and various activities, @gochoate’s page has been littered with autumn leaves, capturing the true essence of campus in the fall.
“[The purpose of] @gochoate, is to inform,” said Ms. Scaviola. Choate’s intentions behind the page, Ms. Scaviola explained, is a way to show diverse audiences about the Choate Rosemary Hall experience. By earnestly broadcasting what is going on at our school, Ms. Scaviola hopes to project a positive, yet true, image of life on campus. These accounts are composed of a mix of posts targeted at the outside world — people that do not attend or work at Choate — and those targeted at the school community. The School’s social media accounts post frequent updates on campus events and celebrate students’ accomplishments. In short, these pages connect us in ways that were not possible prior to the online world.
As much as I may see the official pages, the ones I really interact with are the student-run ones (of which Choate has a plethora). Boasting accounts like @choate.debate,@choate_waterpolo, and @choatenews (which all of you should follow), the deeper you dig, the weirder the accounts get. My favorite account is @crh.sleeping. These accounts allow students to share the funniest, less-polished aspects of Choate life.
In Ms. Scaviola’s words, “who we are as a community is really special, and I’m proud to share it.” Though Choate may fall short in the eyes of its ever-critical students, Choate’s social media presence is a true testament to our ingenuity and warmth as a community.
