The strength of social media is directly related to the strength of its sense of community.  Reddit.com is one half link compilation website and one half message board.  Users (colloquially known as “redditors”) find interesting pictures, videos, articles elsewhere on the internet and post them to various subforums (known as “subreddits”).  Users then vote and comment on their favorite submissions, developing a strong sense of community through in jokes and high level discussion.

One of the post popular features of Reddit are the “I am _____, Ask Me Anything” posts (“AMA” for short) where celebrities give real, candid answers to fans and interact on a personal level.  Some celebrities including Zach Braff, Snoop Dogg, and Arnold Schwarzenegger have even become occasional posters and contributors to the site.  On the front page, readers are greeted with the most popular submissions of the day.

However, my favorite feature of the site are the specific subreddits.  A running joke on the website is that there is a subreddit for everything (including r/everything a subreddit about literally everything).  Each subreddit acts as a message boards where posters can debate politics, ask for advice, and even discuss their favorite maps.

My personal favorite subreddit is r/NFL, a subreddit about the National Football League where posters analyze each game and discuss roster moves with the level of insight of a professional sports journalist.  Minnesota Vikings punter Chris Kluwe is also a frequent contributor to the subreddit, becoming a legendary figure for his interactions with fans.

Additionally, many colleges have subreddits.  If you’re on the fence about a school or just wondering what the rooms are like in another dorm, you’re able to post questions, ask advice, and receive feedback from current students and alumni.  No matter what your interest or hobby, there is a community for you.