The Jay’s App was introduced a few years ago, but it’s already time for an upgrade. This time, the Jay’s App is being upgraded to function like TikTok and now Elizabethtown College is renaming it to ChirpCherp.
Similar to TikTok, students will have the ability to post videos, instead of standard text posts with images attached, with a time limit of 60 seconds. ChirpCherp will transition the Student Feed into a version of the For You Page on TikTok. Hashtags will be utilized to promote content from students, faculty and staff. Users will have the option to tweet or nest other users’ videos, similar to the duet and stitch feature on TikTok, respectively.
ChirpCherp will be more advanced as the app will automatically provide editable closed captioning for users to promote accessibility across the app. Video descriptions will be included in order to post the video onto the Student Feed.
ITS was shocked as they “were not aware of this change,” psychology and art history double major and student employee for ITS Nakita Edwards noted. They utilized specialists to create ChirpCherp with the app being moderated by staff at the College.
Junior health science major and TikTok user Casey Nathan said that their experience on TikTok would likely hinder them on ChirpCherp due to high expectations. She elaborated, saying, “It’s a lot of pressure.”
Despite such pressure, Nathan is committed to producing content for a more local fanbase. She plans to post about secret Starbuck drink recipes. However, Nathan said, “I do not look forward to all the people coming to [the Blue Bean, where Nathan works] to order all the secret drinks that I post about.”
As for the funniest creators, Nathan suspects that the communications department would house the funniest creators, or possibly the biochemistry department. Edwards, however, thinks the funniest users will be professor of art Milt Friedly and other art students as they “often goof around while doing work in the art studio.”
Edwards thinks that students will post about their daily activities, as well as ask for duets on assignments, and students in creative fields showcasing their art. She looks forward to the in-class and out-of-class shenanigans.
ChirpCherp is expected to be a sensation amongst fellow Blue Jays.
Professor of communications Dr. Colin Helb said, “Of course [I plan on posting content]. Not only will the move to a TikTok style app allow for Etown to…remain relevant in a changing world, the consolidation of entire courses into single 15-second videos will open up a great deal of time to focus on the ultimate replacement of all faculty members with 17-year-old influencers. Similarly, the replacement of grades with ChirpCherp’s virtual items just makes a lot of sense. Dab.”
Helb, however, expressed concerns as he said, “I worry for those who are the least funny,” as their lack of followers may hinder them from meeting the new requirements for tenure, such as the proof of influencer requirement. He also said, “I am looking forward to seeing the same sort of content repeated over and over again by new users with little-to-no recognition of intellectual property, historical relevance or cultural significance.” He looks forward to seeing “reaction videos of reaction videos of reaction videos.”
Students involved in computer science programs, as well as the communications department, will have the ability to learn about programming and media analytics via ChirpCherp’s integration into the curriculum, and Helb plans to do “whatever it takes to get the likes” in his classes as he integrates ChirpCherp into his curriculum.
