@Geneseosquirrels: Spreading joy across Instagram
As all Geneseo students know, it is important to watch your step around campus; if you’re not careful, you just may walk into one of our furry-tailed friends. With so many squirrels, it is impossible to see them all, unless you follow @geneseosquirrels on Instagram. For those who are unfamiliar with the best account on all social media platforms, this Instagram page posts submissions from fellow students who were lucky enough to snap a picture of a squirrel.
The idea for such an account is definitely odd, and one that has an even odder backstory. “In the beginning, I just wanted to see if people would follow a silly account I made based on something kind of random,” said the account’s owner. The owner has requested to remain anonymous, and the mystery is something they seem to enjoy. While the details known to the public are few and far between, small things have been announced, such as their major and Spotify Wrapped.
In a day and age where people demand to be entertained, it is not coincidental that @geneseosquirrels has nearly a thousand followers. For many, the big draw to the page is the ranking system that accompanies each post—every picture earns a score out of five acorns. The ranking is opinion-based, and while there is not a rubric to follow, the account owner stated, “I tend to rate squirrels holding food higher… the more unique the picture, the more likely a squirrel is to earn five acorns.” Those who aspire to have their submissions posted are in luck, as the owner said, “I post almost every single submission I receive!” The willingness to post nearly all submissions leads to what is typically multiple posts per day, and more happiness spread to dedicated viewers.
An Instagram account centered around squirrels is something you may expect from someone whose favorite animal is, well, a squirrel. Surprisingly enough, @geneseosquirrels said “Squirrels aren’t even my favorite animal or anything. I just think they’re the most common animal to see around the campus and they’re something everyone can connect on.” Spoken like a true entertainer, the runner of this account has only one thing in mind—happiness from the Geneseo community.
Marketing has never been a huge focus for the account; it has simply relied on word-of-mouth and promotion from their followers. The squirrel-loving students at SUNY Geneseo keep this account full of content, and make others appreciate the furry friends on campus. They said: “I enjoy seeing what people spot them doing around campus, and it makes me really happy to see people enjoying the squirrels who live here too.”
Squirrels run rampant around campus, and that does not seem like it is going to stop anytime soon; luckily, they get the attention and fame they deserve from @geneseosquirrels, a student whose message for everyone is to, “Have fun with your college experience and be sure to respect the campus squirrels.”
Thumbnail photo via Wikimedia Commons