2008 Woodie Awards
Yearbook meets Facebook
By: Meghan Kazer
Issue date: 2/26/08 Section: News
This year, The Mirage is trying something new. After struggling in years past, sophomore Editor in Chief Elizabeth Guess said she wants to increase student interest in the yearbook.
With the recent popularity of Facebook, the yearbook staff has decided to model this year's book after the social networking Web site, keeping the color scheme of navy blue and light blue, with an aesthetically pleasing design, she said.
"Facebook is such a big part of our lives, with 24-hour access," Guess said. "It's a virtual yearbook, in a way."
Other Facebook elements include the names of sections, which mirror the section names on the networking Web site. The section with student photos will be called "profiles." Clubs and organizations are referred to as "groups," and campus happenings as "events." Also, instead of captions, each picture is "tagged," listing the names of each of those pictured.
Students will have the opportunity to submit their own talent, which could end up being a profile on one of the spreads. A student will be profiled on each page, complete with a larger picture of the student and a "status," another Facebook term. Another Facebook element is "the wall" feature. On each page, students' quotes regarding the subject of the spread are posted in a fashion similar to Facebook postings on "the wall."
Guess said she got this idea when she was interviewing for the position of editor in chief of the yearbook last year. After reading an article in the DePauw about how the yearbook may not be able to exist anymore due to lack of interest, she decided to apply, relying her high school yearbook experience to help her in the position.
"[The Facebook theme] will give it some individuality," she said. "It will give it more personality."
Olivia Mote, organizations section co-editor, agrees, saying that she hopes the new style will attract more student interest in the yearbook.
Mote said the yearbook staff got the 'OK' to go ahead with the Facebook theme, while it was still looking into possible copyright hang-ups.
With the recent popularity of Facebook, the yearbook staff has decided to model this year's book after the social networking Web site, keeping the color scheme of navy blue and light blue, with an aesthetically pleasing design, she said.
"Facebook is such a big part of our lives, with 24-hour access," Guess said. "It's a virtual yearbook, in a way."
Other Facebook elements include the names of sections, which mirror the section names on the networking Web site. The section with student photos will be called "profiles." Clubs and organizations are referred to as "groups," and campus happenings as "events." Also, instead of captions, each picture is "tagged," listing the names of each of those pictured.
Students will have the opportunity to submit their own talent, which could end up being a profile on one of the spreads. A student will be profiled on each page, complete with a larger picture of the student and a "status," another Facebook term. Another Facebook element is "the wall" feature. On each page, students' quotes regarding the subject of the spread are posted in a fashion similar to Facebook postings on "the wall."
Guess said she got this idea when she was interviewing for the position of editor in chief of the yearbook last year. After reading an article in the DePauw about how the yearbook may not be able to exist anymore due to lack of interest, she decided to apply, relying her high school yearbook experience to help her in the position.
"[The Facebook theme] will give it some individuality," she said. "It will give it more personality."
Olivia Mote, organizations section co-editor, agrees, saying that she hopes the new style will attract more student interest in the yearbook.
Mote said the yearbook staff got the 'OK' to go ahead with the Facebook theme, while it was still looking into possible copyright hang-ups.
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