The Suitcase Full of Apps

If international students could unpack their phones at airport immigration, I imagine it would look like opening a suitcase full of apps. There might be WeChat or WhatsApp for family and friends, Instagram for classmates, LinkedIn for professional identity, Canvas for school, Xiaohongshu or Reddit for advice, and maybe several apps used only in one country or language community. The phone becomes more than a device. It becomes a map of different worlds.

The Pew research shows that social media use differs across countries. For example, Poushter, Bishop, and Chwe (2018) found that social media use has been rising in many developing countries, while it has leveled off in many developed countries. Gramlich (2024) also notes that Germans use social media comparatively lightly. These patterns show that social media habits are not universal.

International students in higher education need to know this. Universities may think they are communicating clearly when they post on Instagram, send emails, or share resources on their website. However, students may be used to different platforms, different levels of formality, and different ways of asking for help. It may be more convenient for some students to communicate in groups. Some look for advice in language-specific communities. Since some are still learning the norms of the new environment, they may quietly observe before participating.

This also connects to my interest in academic communication support for international students. When students struggle with communication, the issue is not only English. It can also be platform culture. What counts as polite? Is it okay to message a professor? Should I comment publicly? Is it better to email or ask in a group chat? These questions are small, but they shape whether students feel confident and included.

For social media to be good for international learners, it must feel like a bridge rather than a border. Students should be able to move between platforms, languages, and academic cultures easily. Colleges should stop assuming that all students have the same digital habits, and instead ask: What apps are already in students' suitcases, and how can we design support to meet their needs?

References

Gramlich, J. (2024). Germans stand out for their comparatively light use of social mediaLinks to an external site.. Pew Research Center.

Poushter, J., Bishop, C., & Chwe, H. (2018). Social media use continues to rise in developing countries but plateaus across developed onesLinks to an external site.. Pew Research Center.