By Annabeth Reeb
Snapchat has taken off since its debut in 2011, being used by nearly 33% of all smartphone users according to Business Insider.
What started out as a sketchy self-destructing picture app has transformed into the easiest and most convenient way to share what you’re doing with friends. Since its inception, Snapchat has added features like “My Story,” “Campus Stories,” and Geofilters to the app. Its impressive ability to unite communities and organizations through stories gives it a huge presence at universities—Texas A&M is no exception. Student’s can post “stories,” or short videos of themselves and friends and send them to a universal feed that can be seen around campus. One of our favorite ways that Snapchat connects to its users is through its newly added Geofilters. Geofilters are community-submitted filters that show up when app-users are in certain locations. Here are a few favorites:
Aggieland + Gig ‘Em hand:
Although it took College Station a little longer than bigger cities like Houston and Dallas to acquire a Geofilter, the wait was worth it. The generic Aggieland filter is available pretty much anywhere around College Station, and is the perfect way to show off your Red Ass ways. This filter will be especially great when it comes to tailgating on game day.
University Cross-section
This one came a few weeks after the original College Station Geofilters, so it came as a nice surprise to many students. This filter is accessible toward the North side of Camus and down University. Whether you’re studying on campus or eating lunch nearby, this filter is a great go-to.
Ping-Pong Ball TAMU
We call this one ping-pong ball because, well, it looks like a bunch of little pong balls in the shape of Texas with our favorite moniker plastered across the middle. Again, this filter is accessible around the A&M campus and is a fun way to mix things up.
Northgate
That’s right, Northgate has its very own filter for the partyers on Friday night—or on Monday night if that’s more your style. Classy and simple, slap this filter on when you’re enjoying your night at Cedar Lane or being rowdy at Foundations—either way, it’s a nice way to tell your friends where you are (and that you’re having fun).
My Campus Story
This filter is for the pictures and videos that you know you’ll be sending straight to “MyCampusStory,” the feed that visible to virtually anyone on campus. These are usually filled with stories from fun library antics to crazy classroom fun.
McDonalds
Of course, a lot of businesses and stores are jumping on the bandwagon and creating Geofilters. Now you can snap a picture of you eating a virtual hamburger while you wait in line for your non-virtual hamburger.
Hollister
Just one example to highlight so that you know the next time you’re cruising through Post Oak Mall, remember, “there’s a filter for this.”
With filters popping up daily, there’s no way to tell what’s coming next. Businesses, events, and organizations will be able to benefit with this new trend, and we’ll all be able to add some color to our snaps. #Winning.
