Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Friday, Aug 22, 2025

The Patio App Is Facebook For Gen Z College Kids

The Patio App Is Facebook For Gen Z College Kids

“I don’t think any kid actually uses Facebook now.”

Carolina Janicke is very excited to go to college. “I heard my dorm building is very social, but there are roaches,” the 18-year-old told me. But luckily she’s already got someone to help her fight the University of Michigan pests, a roommate she met on the college student–only app Patio.


Incoming first-year college students are embracing Patio as a way to meet people before school begins, taking away the “Will I make friends?” terror. “You start in this big group chat with everyone in your year, and then there’s subgroups you can join — I’m in the Latinx students one. There’s ones for specific programs, so I’m in the art school subgroup, a restaurant one, and this random one we called the Lettuce Club,” Janicke said. “Every time someone eats lettuce, they share a picture of it with the group.”


A social media platform for college students that you need a school email to sign up for? Correct, this does sound a lot like early Facebook, but there’s no need to deepen the generational disdain even further over it.

TheFacebook was first created by supervillains who originally wanted to provide an online directory for students within Harvard University, after creating the primitive “hot or not”–type site Facemash that served to objectify women.

Patio was founded by students at the University of California, Davis, (future democracy-impacting billionaire status as yet undetermined) who wanted to create a space to connect with others during the pandemic. While it was initially launched for current students, the Patio team told their school newspaper that they wanted to focus on incoming students.

“I don’t think any kid actually uses Facebook now,” said Flynn Goel, another incoming Michigan student. He is coming from out of state, so Patio has been the most accessible tool for him to meet people and question locals about what to expect. “I’ve asked what the dining halls are like, the quality of the food.”

“I liked Patio because I know I’ll get an answer in a few minutes, since there are so many people on there,” he told me. “Especially since I’ll be pretty far away from home.”

The infrastructure of a Patio account is highly reminiscent of a dating profile. You can put up to six pictures of yourself, followed by space for a bio, social media handles, as well as interests. After all, these students are searching for something much more serious than romance — college roommates often end up being lifelong friends.

“It definitely feels like Tinder or something,” Janicke said.


I used my old college email address to register, where I was put into the University of Michigan class of 2026 group chat, which has almost 3,000 members. In the large chat, and the subsequent breakout chats, you are able to see an online directory of your peers.

Poking around Patio, I was able to search students by interest, but I was told by Janicke it is not the appropriate etiquette to just DM someone who also likes cycling.


Josh Freedman, 18, said he’s already met up with several other admitted students IRL from Patio. (He’s another incoming Michigan student, since of course that’s who I could speak with.)

“It took away the element of feeling like you don’t know anyone,” he said. “I’ve already formed friendships with people, from all over, who I know I’ll want to hang out with on campus.”

At first, the Patio convo is a huge group chat, with people introducing themselves. Then, they break down into smaller groups of people in the same dorms or who share common interests.

Snapchat, according to Freedman and Janicke, was the most common off-platform app to move next to. “It feels more low stakes,” Janicke said. “Also, I don’t know, maybe it’s easier to figure out if someone is a catfish?”

But figuring out how to write a Patio bio and post photos that represent the kind of person you are — or want to be in your new college life — isn’t easy.

“I chose a good portrait photo of me first, and then a photo of me running at a cross-country race, because I wanted people to know I like sports and staying fit,” Freedman said. “Then another one with my friends so people would know I’m outgoing and I love to meet new people, and hanging out with friends. So there’s no apprehension about reaching out.”


The general advice that the students offered to me was that the last photo should feature a blurry, mid-laughter mirror selfie or appropriately awkward expression to show that you are funny and have a personality.

The bios on Patio are also written with a tentative clumsiness of trying to find common ground. Students state their major and some of their interests. “I love cars, shoes and photography,” Janicke’s bio reads. “If you wanna be friends just ask me about my two dogs.”

Online friends are a norm in the age of repeated social isolation, so Patio providing a space to chat and bond is at least helping these incoming first-years feel comfortable moving away from home.

“I’m not nervous at all,” Janicke said. “I’m gonna miss my parents, but I know I’ll be fine.”

Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Trump Backs Putin’s Land-for-Peace Proposal Amid Kyiv’s Rejection
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
United States Sells Luxury Yacht Amadea, Valued at Approximately $325 Million, in First Sale of a Seized Russian Yacht Since the Invasion of Ukraine
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Germany Seeks Taliban Deal to Deport Afghan Migrants
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
×