There’s nothing that speaks more to the adaptability and prowess of Generation Z than our ability to utilize marvels of modern technology. With a new semester just beginning to unfold, the best and brightest of the incoming class at University of Rochester have shown their commitment to Meliora by running for positions in the Student Association (SA). Yet, the phrase “Ever Better” cannot truly encapsulate how technologically savvy many of these candidates are, as they’ve all seemed to lean into a cutting edge technology that more efficiently and effectively gets their messages across. Rather than focusing on antiquated forms of communication like social media, the internet, or even the printing press, these candidates have spent most of their campaign time using what’s now being dubbed the “ultimate” campaigning tool: sidewalk chalk.
With fresh eyes and even fresher 12-packs of multicolored chalk, candidates have taken to the sidewalks to quite literally get their name out there. As chalk technology rapidly develops, we’re seeing some of the incredible potential it holds, vividly and in real time. Candidates now have the ability to present their platform on any sidewalk that they deem strategically advantageous for their campaign. How exactly are they messaging with all of this precious real estate? By far the most popular tactic has been writing the candidate’s first and last name on the pristine pavement that vines through campus. Now voters will know not to mix up two candidates with the same name when polls open!
The integration of this technology in modern student-campaigning has also done away with arbitrary campaign norms, such as conveying your platform to your constituents. After all, who needs to know what issues their future representatives will address when they can simply read a candidate’s name, several times, in multiple colors as they walk around campus? With our generation’s reduced attention span, this new tactic has proven to be by far the most effective way of garnering constituent support.
Unfortunately for these candidates, the diffusion of chalk technology has also meant increased competition for voter’s attention. To indicate their leadership dominance over their competitors, candidates have now taken to writing their name, only slightly larger, right next to names of their competitors! Gone are the days of civic debate, our new political era will be defined by how large you scribble your name on a 3×3 concrete slab. This tactic is increasingly attracting support from students who wear eyeglasses, as they had trouble reading some candidate’s names originally.
As antiquated campaign tactics fade from popularity, future student leaders here at the University of Rochester are proving once again that critical, out-of-the-box thinking are pillars of what makes our University stand above the rest. Any voter interested in finding out more information on candidates can find their name somewhere on a sidewalk on campus, and then forget to Google it.
