When we started planning this six-issue run of Nexus we decided to commit to break from a standard student magazine layout and get a little adventurous. We thought about what topics we actually wanted to read, what we wanted to say, and what it would ultimately all look like.

Planning for this particular issue “Nexus Likes To Be Liked” was a little harder than the others because social media and digitisation is such a broad spectrum it’s like covering, “oxygen and its impact on stuff.” In the end, we think we have put together a magazine we can be proud of. We interviewed a gamer, we talked about the impact of technology, about social activism and of course, pornography.

We covered the idea of social media as an addiction but there was one question that we really debated in the office.

DOES SOCIAL MEDIA ACTUALLY MATTER?

We talked about the impact of the Arab Spring. We talked about social media helping to normalise people in communities that might otherwise feel isolated. It impacts in giving the disabled communication tools and a lot of other social good. 

We also talked about the rise of hate speech, conspiracy groups, anti-vaxxers, and political interference. All of which were valid arguments. But the question we couldn’t rationalise was, to the average person or group, what impact do likes and followers have?

So when we can’t rationalise things we did what we always do. We turned it into a game.

At the time of writing, Nexus has 5,192 likes which puts us 5th amongst all student media. Critic comparatively has almost 20,000. Our contention is that the only reason we would want that is so that Josh can wear a shirt that proclaims him the King of Student Social Media. That we, as a magazine are no better or worse with 15,000 more likes, and that our advertisers don’t actually give a shit if we have the biggest social media following. 

SO WE DECIDED TO MAKE A BET:

If between the Monday this issue is on the shelves and the end of our print run in Trimester B we are ahead of all the student magazines in both Facebook and Instagram, we will throw an end of Trimester Open Party at House on Hood with a $1500 bar tab and drink specials. We will give out vouchers from other sponsors like BurgerFuel and Sal’s along the way.

We will also commit to getting our friends at Lamb Creative to make a shirt for Josh calling him the King of Student Social Media 2020