Community through your Screen

Facebook is sometimes known as the “old" people's way of social media, but this is not the case.

Facebook is focusing its ways of communication on a mission "to give people the power to build community and bring the world closer together.” Facebook is allowing its users to form social groups where users can communicate with other people who have the same interests. People from around the world are creating groups for a variety of niche subjects, creating one-stop-shops for people in search of answers regarding certain topics and bringing groups of people together through similar interests.

These Facebook groups range from support groups about mental health to beauty groups that talk about the latest trends. With the wide variety of Facebook groups people can join, these groups allow users to get the two-cents of interested parties from all different corners of the internet.

Every Facebook user is bound to find a group that interests them. For Lexington residents, a Facebook group called “Lexington Yard Sale and MISC [Miscellaneous]” is a platform for you to put items up for sale, like an online version of yard sales.

Krystian Blackwell, an admin for the “Lexington Yard Sale and MISC” Facebook group, said users "can find things pretty cheap when people are on a budget,” which goes for college students as well.

Blackwell said there are tough parts of running a Facebook group as well. It is “sometimes intense” being an admin for a large Facebook group like hers, she said, especially when “so many people ask to join.”

Another Facebook group that is beneficial to college students is called “Fighting Anxiety/Depression and Other Mental Illnesses.” This group creates a safe space for individuals to share their stories and support each other through good and bad times.

Angie Leigh, one of the administrators of the page, said this Facebook group “is a relatively safe place to talk” and also added that the group “gives people the numbers to crisis lines so they can reach out when and if necessary.”

Leigh also talked about the struggles with running a page with this kind of content. She explained how hard it is hard to monitor the comments and posts because you never know what could be a trigger to someone, but at the same time, you want people to be able to help each other.

Leigh said this type of Facebook group is very rewarding in certain cases. She said that seeing people confide in others, relate to one another and get the help they need, all from her Facebook group, is very bittersweet and makes her feel as if she is making a small impact in these people’s lives.

There are many groups on Facebook you could join to get questions answered, get support for hard times or even get advice on how to edit a photo or where you can find the best deals for those overpriced items you want. Facebook is not only the home to those horrendous pictures your family has posted of you but also to millions of people who come together to find people with similar interests.