Studying abroad or not, online culture and losing the plot
Social media is supposed to help people express themselves. But in the latest episode of Campus Confessional, the hosts wonder whether online culture actually makes students more alike than they realise.
Episode three opens with a surprisingly philosophical hot take. Michela, Thalassa and Kevin discuss whether online culture slowly shapes personalities, humour and behaviour into the same mould. From catchphrases and trends to beauty standards and ‘main character energy’, the trio debate how much of modern identity is genuinely personal and how much comes from scrolling.
Kevin admits even the way he talks has changed because of the online culture. What started as ironic use of phrases like ‘slay’ eventually became part of his everyday vocabulary. Michela agrees that people naturally copy each other, with or without social media, while Thalassa argues that platforms can also reward individuality and different styles.
The discussion becomes less about judging social media and more about recognising how influential it has become in daily student life. Even students who avoid apps completely still stand out immediately, according to the hosts.
The episode then shifts into one of the most relatable Groningen conversations possible: why does the city somehow feel both huge and tiny at the same time? One listener sends in a confession about everyone in their social circle somehow knowing, dating or hooking up with each other.
The hosts are not exactly shocked.
According to them, Groningen’s size makes overlapping friend groups almost unavoidable. Whether through study programmes, nightlife or shared housing, students constantly run into the same people. Kevin even describes discovering that multiple guests from his new HanzeMAG show Backseat Opinions already knew each other without him realising it beforehand.
Another confession introduces a different kind of student alter ego. One listener admits they become a completely different person while going out drinking. Instead of reacting with concern, the hosts laugh about their own old fake names and exaggerated personalities they used during nights out.
Behind the jokes, though, sits a recognisable idea: student nightlife often gives people permission to act differently than they normally would. Sometimes more confident, sometimes more chaotic, sometimes simply less serious.
A more emotional dilemma follows when a student questions whether staying in the Netherlands for a year abroad placement is the wrong decision while all their friends leave the country. The hosts approach the topic carefully. While studying abroad sounds exciting, they agree that forcing yourself into it purely because others are doing it rarely works out well.
Their advice stays simple: choose the place that genuinely feels right for you, not the place that looks best on Instagram.
The episode closes with perhaps the most Groningen confession imaginable: hooking up with someone from your own building and then awkwardly seeing them in the lift afterwards. The reactions range from ‘just take the stairs’ to ‘act normal and own the situation’, though nobody seems convinced there is actually a perfect solution.
As always, Campus Confessional mixes humour with recognisable student anxieties, drifting naturally between deep conversations, nonsense tangents and painfully relatable confessions. This time, the biggest question lingering after the episode might actually be the first one: how much of who we are is really ours?
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