Boston University is no stranger to social media. The BU “Twitterverse” serves as a platform for students to share ideas, to promote campus activities and to find entertainment.
“I feel that BU’s huge presence on Twitter is great because it’s a really efficient way of getting important information across quickly and easily,” said Sejute Guha, a sophomore in the School of Management.
Guha, who works at the George Sherman Union, said that Twitter helps the GSU promote information. The GSU’s Twitter (@theGSU) posts tidbits of information and gives students chances to win prizes.
Other clubs, groups and students at BU have racked up a decent number of followers due to interesting or informative tweets. Dean of Students Kenneth Elmore (@DeanElmore) has more than 7,500 followers and tweets every day his “musing[s] about life in and around BU.”
“Elmore’s Twitter is definitely my favorite of all the accounts,” said College of Communication sophomore Ashley Jones. “He’s very involved with all the student activities on campus and intent on getting us excited about participating in the community.”
A parody of Elmore’s account, known as Evil Dean Elmore (@EvilDeanElmore), also posts frequently during the school year to mock BU and Elmore. On May 11, the account tweeted at the class of 2011: “Dear graduating seniors, we hope you’ve develop something special during your time at #BU. Yes, I’m talking about alcoholism.”
Other parody Twitter accounts relating to life at BU include @HarvardHoochies, @BUgirlproblems, @TheBUBus and @BUSnowAlerts.
A more casual and entertaining local Twitter is BU Eats (@BUEats), created by alumna Alison Krause. Since graduating from the Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences in May, she has handed the torch to a new anonymous student.
Krause said it was easier to integrate Twitter into her life than a blog or food reviews. She added that her tweets about local food trucks, local restaurants and other food hotspots were well-received among the BU community.
“I’ve only heard good things about @BUEats,” she said in an email. “I tried to make it laid back and fun, and I wanted it to be relevant to all BU students, not just ‘foodies.’ I got a lot of great suggestions from students, and I’m really excited to see where @BUEats will go now that I’ve given the account to another undergrad.”
Krause recommends Boston Tweet (@BostonTweet) to BU students. Boston Tweet posts tips, deals and things to do in the city to its 36,000 followers. The man behind the Twitter, Tom O’Keefe, said he always hears from BU students.
“BU has been phenomenal to me,” O’Keefe said in an email. “I constantly receive a tremendous response from everyone from Dean Elmore to Professor [Stephen] Quigley to the thousands of great BU students on Twitter.”
BU students frequently win prizes from @BostonTweet, and O’Keefe often likes hiding freebies and prizes on the BU campus, he said.
“I think Twitter is the best platform to report the news (whatever is newsworthy to you) due to its brevity and mobility,” O’Keefe said. “Other outlets like Facebook and Tumblr don’t work as well for me – they also distract me from my main focus on Twitter.”
Krause also suggested that new students start a Twitter account to stay informed and connected.
“You don’t have to be crazy about it – you can just get an account and start following the people and things that interest you,” she said.
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read your article, you’re pretty vague on a lot of things and rushed through. I follow dining on twitter they are great, also bu tweets????