The Student Government Association, commonly abbreviated as SGA, organizes their Facebook page in order to keep students informed about upcoming events and general announcements.

     The page also allows HCC students to express their concerns regarding SGA decisions. Alas, not every concern demonstrates positivity, and a passionate student may get caught up in the moment and post inappropriate comments.

     SGA stresses proper social media etiquette to avoid negative consequences for what students post online. The following tips from SGA give students a reminder to make sure their social media accounts remain appropriate.

     For starters, the life of a college student may involve the infamous party culture that comes along with it, and crude photos from that unforgettable weekend may resurface on a social media platform. Unfortunately for the individuals in said pictures, employers get a glimpse into social media accounts.

     Employers and professional people looking to network with responsible individuals see those images, and their first impression may revolve around a mixture of disgust and immediate disapproval.

     A major tip that college students fail to remember deals with the dialogue and language they use on social media. Vulgarity and the heavy use of profanity easily reflect a person’s character, and their use of it on social media may mirror that character. Beyond the curse words, however, lies another part of language usage that HCC students should always keep in mind – proper English and grammar.

     Employers reading the Twitter account of a sloppy speller will not be overly eager to hire that person.

     One of the most important social etiquette techniques that some people disregard revolves around trash talking. In the United States, most citizens comfortably exercise their First Amendment rights, even if they get a little too comfortable and start belittling others who do not agree with their opinions in brash ways.

     Almost everyone will come across an abundance of people who may not see eye to eye with their views, but the way they chastise those naysayers via social media never reflect a good character to employers.

     As college students within the millennial generation, social media accounts resemble cyber soap boxes fit just for them.

     Whether or not college students remain objective on social media, SGA expresses some of the many tips that social media users should always follow for the sake of their future and character reflection, as well as a reflection of their school.

     For more information on the Hillsborough Community College SGA activities visit:

      https://www.hccfl.edu/ssem/student-activities/sga.aspx