Joining a Virtual Community: The Complete Guide
What is a virtual community?
Virtual communities have been defined as a group of people who come together through similar interests or goals, where communication via electronic media is the primary form of interaction[cite: 7].
Why are virtual communities important?
Teenagers are in the pursuit of autonomy and independence from their parents, and being shifted into an environment (as a result of the pandemic) which is restricting can feel suffocating[cite: 7]. Furthermore, despite possibly making adolescents closer to their families, there still was a drastic cut off in the amount of time they could spend with their peers[cite: 7].
The adolescent period comes with a heightened sensitivity to social contexts, which makes it essential for them to be exposed to social interactions[cite: 7]. This is where virtual communities come in[cite: 7]. Some of the ways that virtual communities help out are[cite: 7]:
- Countering isolation[cite: 7]
- Countering depression[cite: 7]
- They provide a space for discussions about topics that are usually considered 'not alright' to talk about[cite: 7]. This space can make people feel accepted and seen, especially when they are from marginalised communities such as LGBTQ[cite: 7].
- Providing resources such as material to help out with any issue you might be going through[cite: 7]. For example, a guide on how to deal with ADHD[cite: 7].
How do you get into virtual communities?
- Search up key terms of your interests on social media and the internet overall[cite: 7].
- Ask your friends and family what virtual communities they are a part of[cite: 7].
- Visit various pages that you like and check if they have a virtual community which you can join[cite: 7]. On Instagram, Google and Facebook pages, they sometimes link servers which you can join up with[cite: 7].
- Check out internet forums like Reddit and Discord for your subject of interest[cite: 7].