Discord Then-And-Now: How Young People Use The Platform
Discord was originally popular with gamers who wish to interact with the community by going on voice calls while in a co-op game. But with the sudden burst of online activity during the pandemic, it gained popularity for different reasons.
Young people looked for ways to reconnect with their friends and they found Discord – a messaging software that turned into an online social media hub.
At first, Discord may look complicated. There is a learning curve before one can get used to it. Its selling point, however, is how you can make things organized by creating categories and channels. Additionally, you can hop on a voice channel anytime you want to hang out with friends.
IMAGINE A PLACE… where you can belong to a school club, a gaming group, or a worldwide art community. Where just you and a handful of friends can spend time together. A place that makes it easy to talk every day and hang out more often.
Discord
Curious about what activities you can do in Discord? Here’s a list:
FOR GAME ROOMS
Primarily, Discord was created for the gaming community. After hopping on a voice call, you can put it in the background and focus on the game. It works best when it comes to co-op strategy-based games since you can talk on the spot while providing information and strategizing.
Playing first-person shooter (FPS) games become easier and more enjoyable while on a Discord call. Communication is easier and faster. For those who can’t join, someone playing can stream the game for them. This way, it allows multiple people with the same interest to hang out.
FOR WATCH PARTIES
Since Discord permits you to stream from most watching platforms, the space is used for watch parties. Movies, TV series, anime, k-drama, music videos, game streams – you name it.
During the pandemic, it was almost impossible to organize a movie night in person, so this is the next best option. It’s definitely recommended for couples and friends who are in a long-distance relationship, too!
FOR KARAOKE NIGHTS
Listening to music and singing together while you and your friends are far away from each other is now easier with Discord. Bots like Hydra, Jockie Music, and ProBot let you queue and listen to music together with other people in a voice call. When in a private call, Spotify premium does the trick. Discord gives you the option to listen along to whatever a friend is playing.
Sometimes, your calls need a little spice – and music can certainly be the answer! Enjoy yourselves and take away the pressure of having to talk all the time.
STUDY AND WORK SESSIONS
Ella, a Discord user since 2019, shared her experience about how the platform became her “virtual work or study space”. Since classes shifted from face-to-face set-up to online, she had to rely on calls to keep her productive.
Sometimes, we would open our cameras while working because some say it pressures us to work and allows us to focus more. No one talked. No music played in the background. But the voice call provided a space similar to a library or a classroom.
There are also large servers that cater to people who wish to find study buddies like Study Together. There are different types of calls according to your preference: screen sharing each other’s work, open camera, lo-fi or instrumental music in the background, and calls with Pomodoro timer.
SLEEP CALLS
The last on the list is something that not everybody could comprehend. Technically, both of you are sleeping – so why is there a need for you to be on call? When isolation took a toll on people, looking for company while asleep became a thing.
There are lots of types of sleep calls: open camera where you can watch each other fall asleep and wake up, open mic where you can hear white noise from the other side such as shuffling of sheets and fan sound and muted calls where you’re just there for the ride.
Whatever the case is, it takes away part of the loneliness that some felt. Don’t deny it – there is also something romantic about greeting good night and good morning as if you’re together.
As a server admin, Ella shared that Discord is her “safe space”. She recalled that it took her to places where she couldn’t go during the pandemic. Similar to the software’s name, it is where she is “free to cause discord and be me”.
As an online social hub, Discord helped a lot of people like Ella to pave through the pandemic. Even now as outdoor activities are starting to resume, it still serves as a place for those who seek meaningful friendships.
