By Kristof Kocs
As some of our readers may have already noticed, the Student Advisory Council (SAC) of McDaniel College Budapest has relaunched its official TikTok channel, after several months of hiatus. The first video – which at the time of this report has already garnered over 1,200 views – features short interviews with students about Valentine’s Day. Lorainne Del Nogal Campos, the SAC’s Communications Officer and TikTok-manager, believes that the social media platform is essential for connecting with both current and prospective students. “Having a TikTok page can significantly help us engage with the younger generation,” she explained, adding that the site can be used “to [accurately] present student life at McDaniel,” and “show the different international cultures our student body is exposed to.”
Although there have already been attempts last spring to launch a student-run TikTok page for the Budapest campus, the production of further content came to a halt, after posting two short videos. The primary reasons for this interruption were likely due to a lack of interest, insufficient time, and limited human resources within the SAC’s Communications team. Nevertheless, Lorainne’s current enthusiasm remains boundless; in fact, she feels even more committed to the project since the release of the first video. When asked why she believes her approach will be more successful, than that of her predecessors, she laughed and replied, “It’s [gonna be] different because I’m doing it now.” She believes that an outgoing personality and a willingness to engage with fellow students through thought-provoking questions are the two secret keys for a successful TikTok-campaign. “But” – Lorainne continued – “generational differences” may also play a role in the platform’s appeal, noting, “The perspective from kids born after 2000 is very different from that of ’90s kids.”
As Lorainne explained, “The first video is always the hardest [to create]. But once you start, you can easily get passionate about it,” adding that she is excited about the possibilities available for creativity and hopes that her pioneering effort will make the lives of future SAC TikTokers easier. Her strategy is clear: “My goal is to create content that invites both students and non-students to feel welcome and motivated to participate in the activities at our school.” When asked about her future plans, Lorainne revealed that in her upcoming video, she intends to interview seniors about their experiences at McDaniel. She also remains open to content suggestions from the students – who may also contribute to content creations – and continues to study the TikTok accounts of other universities as inspiration.
One thing she is certain of, however, is her desire “to create something unique” that resonates with the essence of McDaniel Budapest and the SAC. As a last thought, she stated that she hopes “to produce at least 5-6 videos by the end of the semester,” but given the excitement generated by the first video, “filming and editing them will be much easier.” It’s no surprise that Lorainne feels this way, as the response from students has been overwhelmingly positive. One student remarked, “I think it’s great that we finally have our own TikTok for the Budapest campus,” while another follower enthusiastically commented, “I’m living for this content.” Students who had like to collaborate with Lorainne can contact her at ldd002@mcdaniel.edu. Incidentally, the videos are also posted as stories on Instagram.
For those interested to follow our official TikTok channel, be sure to check out the following link: https://www.tiktok.com/@mcdanielbpc
