Talking about my generation

Columbia’s class of 2015 has made great use of its designated Facebook group since its inception in November 2010. From textbook auctions to political debates, this group has seen the best and worst of our opinionated, rambunctious voices and has consequently become a testament to the unique personality of our class throughout the year and two months since then. It’s precisely what helped us survive the separation anxiety of the first winter break of our college careers, as we broke away from each other and returned home to our former lives for a month. In spite of our wide range of backgrounds and opinions, one distinguishable trait has united us through all that—an irresistible propensity to #hashtag.
Although this trend originated within the realm of Twitter, this innovative tactic swiftly spread to inspire users of other social networks to become seasoned hashtaggers, and in this case, the 2015ers. The ritual lives on, devoid of its original purpose—and for those of you who have seen the Facebook group, the class of 2015 has exemplified it well. But what could possibly prompt us to sporadically sprinkle pound signs into our online communicative efforts?

Although it is obsolete in practicality once outside Twitter, the hashtag remains a surprisingly noble endeavor at community-building in the virtual world. It echoes our numerous voices, uniting our individual stories. It translates the physical, tangible world into a new generational web of media-dependent relationships. This popular trend has been an unsuspecting force in shaping the personality of #columbia2015 by identifying the quirks, problems, and topics of interest of our class—and therefore bringing us together. Notable hashtags from the freshman class include #beatbrown, #backoftheenvelopecalculation, #frogsex, and #lionessinacheesegraterposition, covering topics from school sports, Core classes, and even personal finances—all of which have a familiar ring to us 2015ers.

The use of hashtags beyond Twitter appeals to a desire to contribute to something beyond our own existence. In the cold, impersonal world of computer-generated social interactions, the hashtag mimics the priceless comfort of a familiar face or a charmingly unique mannerism—as exemplified by the following memorable lines: #vomitinthebathroom, #whofartedintheelevator, #alreadysickofthesnow, and #columbiatches. Besides that, it also characterizes an audacious, somewhat pretentious, self-selected few who preach the relevancy of their publicized thoughts through the closing stamp of a widely recognizable phrase—or, even more courageously, an attempt to coin their own clever, recognizable phrase. Many Columbia freshmen belong to the latter group, eager to brand their thoughts into the vernacular of their peers. We strive to infiltrate the thoughts of others with our original takes, and therefore to identify with situations from which we would otherwise be excluded. These hashtags bridge the many conventional differences between the members of our class.

These creative virtual spins do not simply function as ostentatious new twists on punctuation—hashtags mirror an insatiable desire to be examined and understood, to stir a reaction within the human souls of endless readers. We want to find our place amongst this new sea of peers and voice their relevant concerns in the most perfect way. This lofty aspiration was incredibly successful in the case of #columbia2015, a hashtag that continuously echoes within the Facebook group, highlighting news and anecdotes relevant to the class.

Columbians also bring their unassailable yearning to hashtag into intimate, personal interaction. Students throughout campus have been increasingly using it in conversation—a recurring example is the eternally appropriate #collegelife, enabling the method to once more transcend the virtual world. Initially a practical, facilitating search tool, this contagious practice has permeated numerous social networking sites and has even succeeded in bridging the divide between virtual and real human interactions.

So in the spirit of community building, pound on, Columbia! The hashtag is a true anthropological tribute to the unity of our generation of Columbians.

The author is a Columbia College first-year.