Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

The Patio App Is Facebook For Gen Z College Kids

The Patio App Is Facebook For Gen Z College Kids

“I don’t think any kid actually uses Facebook now.”

Carolina Janicke is very excited to go to college. “I heard my dorm building is very social, but there are roaches,” the 18-year-old told me. But luckily she’s already got someone to help her fight the University of Michigan pests, a roommate she met on the college student–only app Patio.


Incoming first-year college students are embracing Patio as a way to meet people before school begins, taking away the “Will I make friends?” terror. “You start in this big group chat with everyone in your year, and then there’s subgroups you can join — I’m in the Latinx students one. There’s ones for specific programs, so I’m in the art school subgroup, a restaurant one, and this random one we called the Lettuce Club,” Janicke said. “Every time someone eats lettuce, they share a picture of it with the group.”


A social media platform for college students that you need a school email to sign up for? Correct, this does sound a lot like early Facebook, but there’s no need to deepen the generational disdain even further over it.

TheFacebook was first created by supervillains who originally wanted to provide an online directory for students within Harvard University, after creating the primitive “hot or not”–type site Facemash that served to objectify women.

Patio was founded by students at the University of California, Davis, (future democracy-impacting billionaire status as yet undetermined) who wanted to create a space to connect with others during the pandemic. While it was initially launched for current students, the Patio team told their school newspaper that they wanted to focus on incoming students.

“I don’t think any kid actually uses Facebook now,” said Flynn Goel, another incoming Michigan student. He is coming from out of state, so Patio has been the most accessible tool for him to meet people and question locals about what to expect. “I’ve asked what the dining halls are like, the quality of the food.”

“I liked Patio because I know I’ll get an answer in a few minutes, since there are so many people on there,” he told me. “Especially since I’ll be pretty far away from home.”

The infrastructure of a Patio account is highly reminiscent of a dating profile. You can put up to six pictures of yourself, followed by space for a bio, social media handles, as well as interests. After all, these students are searching for something much more serious than romance — college roommates often end up being lifelong friends.

“It definitely feels like Tinder or something,” Janicke said.


I used my old college email address to register, where I was put into the University of Michigan class of 2026 group chat, which has almost 3,000 members. In the large chat, and the subsequent breakout chats, you are able to see an online directory of your peers.

Poking around Patio, I was able to search students by interest, but I was told by Janicke it is not the appropriate etiquette to just DM someone who also likes cycling.


Josh Freedman, 18, said he’s already met up with several other admitted students IRL from Patio. (He’s another incoming Michigan student, since of course that’s who I could speak with.)

“It took away the element of feeling like you don’t know anyone,” he said. “I’ve already formed friendships with people, from all over, who I know I’ll want to hang out with on campus.”

At first, the Patio convo is a huge group chat, with people introducing themselves. Then, they break down into smaller groups of people in the same dorms or who share common interests.

Snapchat, according to Freedman and Janicke, was the most common off-platform app to move next to. “It feels more low stakes,” Janicke said. “Also, I don’t know, maybe it’s easier to figure out if someone is a catfish?”

But figuring out how to write a Patio bio and post photos that represent the kind of person you are — or want to be in your new college life — isn’t easy.

“I chose a good portrait photo of me first, and then a photo of me running at a cross-country race, because I wanted people to know I like sports and staying fit,” Freedman said. “Then another one with my friends so people would know I’m outgoing and I love to meet new people, and hanging out with friends. So there’s no apprehension about reaching out.”


The general advice that the students offered to me was that the last photo should feature a blurry, mid-laughter mirror selfie or appropriately awkward expression to show that you are funny and have a personality.

The bios on Patio are also written with a tentative clumsiness of trying to find common ground. Students state their major and some of their interests. “I love cars, shoes and photography,” Janicke’s bio reads. “If you wanna be friends just ask me about my two dogs.”

Online friends are a norm in the age of repeated social isolation, so Patio providing a space to chat and bond is at least helping these incoming first-years feel comfortable moving away from home.

“I’m not nervous at all,” Janicke said. “I’m gonna miss my parents, but I know I’ll be fine.”

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Hungary's Prime Minister Criticizes NATO's Role in Ukraine
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Hungarian Scientist to Conduct 30 Research Experiments on the International Space Station
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
International Astronaut Team Launched to Space Station
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
Oil Prices Set to Surge After US Strikes Iran
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
×