Like, Tweet, post, mention, comment, RT –

these are all terms thrown around daily by students across the

Simpson campus. But as quickly as we hit enter and update the

entire social media world on our latest thoughts, taking a few

seconds to evaluate the consequences could be mean as much as

saving your reputation, getting that job you will someday need, or

keeping you from getting in serious legal trouble. Here are some

foolproof tips for taking charge of your profiles.

Cut the Crap

No one wants to see your high score on Vampire

Wars or CityVille. They could care less about your 2 a.m. thoughts

about life.

If you’re wondering what on earth you’re

supposed to post now, put yourself in your audience’s shoes. Do you

like reading other people’s inside jokes and personal drama? How

about constant complaining about their daily issues?

Now if those posts sound a little too

familiar, maybe it’s time to change things up. This kind of wall

can’t be erased with a fresh coat of paint. Next time a future

employer is looking through your Facebook and Twitter history (and

yes, they have the tools to do that), they’re not going to be

impressed that you’re “celebrating Thirsty Thursday with some

Jersey Shore and tequila,” the #FlippyCupChampion of last night’s

party, or that your college nickname is “Chug-it Charlie.”

 Share what’s

important

Now that your profile is mostly clean of

things not meant for the web, what is there left to share? The

great thing about social media is that – outside of being in the

same room as someone – it’s the fastest way to spread news. You

probably couldn’t even count how many times you’ve seen something

interesting or weird on campus and wanted to share it with your

friends. Think of Twitter as your new best friend. Next time you

can’t wait to tell the world about the newest (appropriate) campus

gossip, direct your attention to the coolest way to share in 140

characters or less.

If breaking news isn’t your thing, there are

plenty of other approaches to posting relevant and useful updates.

Perhaps a particular quote got your attention. It would be selfish

to keep that kind of gold material to yourself so share it with the

world. That kind of positive attitude is a good indication to

others that you’re friendly, outgoing and someone whose posts are

worth reading.

 Explore other

options

Now that you’re caught up in a newfound love

of using social media the right way, it’s easy to forget there is

more to life than just Facebook and Twitter – how about LinkedIn,

FourSquare or Yelp?

LinkedIn offers a way to have a personal

information page that acts as an online resume – showcasing your

skills, previous experience and future goals. FourSquare allows you

to check-in to any place you go. Some businesses go so far as to

offer discounts to those who check-in on FourSquare.

Yelp is a different story. Have you ever

caught yourself standing across from a new restaurant wondering if

it’s any good or if it’s going to break your bank? Yelp is like the

online version of the Yellow Pages, but ten times better. Not only

does it provide you with the contact information of thousands of

local businesses, you can find recommendations, user reviews and

price information – all in one place.