As the new school year begins, many students from Long Beach and surrounding areas are leaving home for the first time, heading to colleges in different cities or states. This transition often means leaving behind close friends, and maintaining those friendships across miles can be challenging. However, technology, particularly communication platforms like Discord, is offering new ways for friends to stay connected and continue sharing experiences despite the distance.
Discord, a platform originally designed for gamers, has evolved into a virtual gathering place where friends can talk, share experiences, and spend time together, whether or not they are playing a game. More than 90 million people use Discord daily to text, talk, and video chat before, during, and after gaming sessions. Unlike algorithm-driven social media feeds, Discord focuses on smaller communities and personal conversations, making online interactions feel more intimate and similar to hanging out in the same room.
For college students who have moved away, this always-available social space can be crucial. Zen Dailo from Bakersfield, California, shared how Discord helped him stay in touch with friends from home after moving for college. He noted, "Discord helps me stay in touch with some of my closest friends from home that I probably wouldn't have kept in touch with." This sentiment resonates with many students who face the challenge of maintaining long-distance friendships.
The role of gaming in strengthening friendships is supported by research. A study published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships found that shared activities, including playing games together, are meaningful predictors of friendship development. The Entertainment Software Association reports that 67% of Americans play video games at least one hour per week, and 49% say games help them stay connected with friends and family. Online gaming allows friends to participate in the same activity even when they are in different locations, turning a simple conversation into shared time.
Keeping an entire friend group connected can be even more difficult than maintaining one friendship, especially as schedules change after high school. Discord is designed for both individual and group interactions. Friends can create Group Direct Messages or establish private Servers—invite-based spaces organized around a friend group, game, or shared interest. These communities provide a place to return to even when schedules don't align perfectly.
Logan Iacobo from Pomona, California, experienced this benefit firsthand. "Once I was out of high school, I accumulated a very large friend group, so it was hard to always talk to everyone," he said. "Discord has enabled us to stay connected. When I moved across the country, I could still talk to everyone, and we’ve stayed close to this day – it’s been a real blessing."
For those new to Discord, getting started is simple. The platform is available on mobile, consoles, and desktop, and creating an account takes minutes. Friends can start direct messages or group chats with people they know, or create a private server for their friend group. Joining a server can be as easy as clicking an invitation link from a friend. Users can also browse Discord's directory to find communities based on games, hobbies, and interests.
As students from Long Beach and beyond embark on their college journeys, the distance doesn't have to mean disconnection. Gaming provides a shared activity, and Discord offers a persistent space where friends can talk, stream, play, and spend time together. For many, staying connected is as simple as logging on and finding familiar friends waiting in the same digital space.
