Since the start of the pandemic in 2020, the social media app Discord has skyrocketed in popularity. Originally branded as a “chat for gamers,” it has completely rebranded and become an incredibly accessible platform to interact with people across the world. It now carries more than 350 million registered users and its profits have more than tripled since 2019. During its efforts to attract new users to its platform, Discord has implemented an incredibly useful new tool to connect with fellow students: student hubs.
Student hubs are essentially a collection of servers connected to the school you are currently attending. By just providing your student email, Discord will find other servers connected with that registered domain. Note that these servers are not affiliated with the connected school, and interactions on them are not sanctioned directly by the college. To join, after signing into Discord, head to the “Discover” button on the left sidebar and follow the directions for connecting you to your school! You can also directly join Bellevue College’s hub by clicking on this invite link and providing your Bellevue College email.
After exploring our school’s hub a bit, I was fairly pleased with the variety of servers available for support. There are a total of 30 servers, and about 10-15 of them are decently active. Unsurprisingly, the general lobby and tech-related servers are the most populated. Beyond these top options, however, the BC LGBTQ+ server seemed particularly welcoming and a safe space for anyone who needs support.
If you’re looking to socialize, there are many activity-specific servers. These include the VR club, a Minecraft server, general gaming, tabletop gaming, and a plethora more! If you’re looking for educational support, however, there are servers for that too! Computer science, English, and Spanish are available, with more communities of students growing every day.
If you are looking to connect with your classmates and the broader Bellevue College community, be sure to check out the available student hub! I hope to see you there.
