There has never been a shortage of protests on campus, and the average NYU student is bound to encounter at least one public demonstration in Washington Square Park over the course of a semester. Beginning with the early September Rally For Standing Rock against the Dakota Access Pipeline, and most recently with the successful efforts of Students for Sexual Respect at NYU, students have been true to their characteristically outspoken and outraged selves. Activism, by on-campus groups and national organizations, have always had a home on NYU’s grounds. Students will of course want to get involved, but are sometimes prone to simply hopping on the protest bandwagon.

That is not always a problem, since movements with huge numbers of supporters will always receive more visibility, but it does sometimes lend itself to creating a culture of slacktivism. Many protests focus on increasing just awareness, but that is not always the most effective way of getting concrete results. Awareness is just the beginning. Students who participate in activist groups and protests should make sure their causes and petitions are converted to something more than short-lived mass demonstrations.

All different types of causes are valid, but not all forms of protests are created equal. Holding up signs and chanting can certainly draw attention to a particular cause, but more is needed in order to spur real change, such as new legislation. The Incarceration to Education Coalition’s successful sit-in, for example, led to planned meetings with NYU administration and Common App and eventual reforms to the university’s application process. The NYU community is full of people with diverse skills and unique access to resources. In order to be successful, it is imperative that different groups harness these abilities and turn their slogans and signs into real, innovative progress. It does not happen overnight, but change is possible when issues are approached in a pragmatic manner.

None of this is to dismiss those who participate in protests or so-called armchair activism. People who work hard to raise awareness through social media or more active means should be lauded, but presenting a formal plan of action, with benefits and potential, is a much more significant step forward. Every student at NYU, by utilizing their unique skills, can bring something new to the table. If you’re a filmmaker, shoot a documentary. If you’re a business or law major, get involved in an organization that champions your cause. Rather than pursuing political activism impersonally through protests and social media, use your passions to enact tangible change. During our times as students, there has arisen a record amount of interest in student activism and students should be capitalizing on that interest. And with NYU’s hotbed of student talent, the next generation of activists are bound to come up with more creative ways to enact change.

A version of this article appeared in the Monday, October 24th print edition. Email the WSN Editorial Board at [email protected].