January 18, 2022

Student influencer Darci Anderson on finding your niche

One of the Seven Social Standards that The Social Institute believes in is: Finding Your Influencers. This means surrounding yourself with positive role models who support you and encourage you to play to your core. To help students find these positive and credible influences, we began our Student Influencer Program. Each week we select a different student to take over our Instagram and highlight how they act as a positive influence and inspiration in their communities.

This week, we are excited to introduce Darci Anderson. Darci is a Junior at The University of North Carolina. She is a STEM student majoring in Biomedical Engineering with Chemical and Neuroscience minors. Outside of school, she loves taking time away from her phone to read, catch up with friends, cook, exercise, and go outside. During her time at UNC, she has found a way to “Strike a Balance” through her presidency of Carolina Adapts Toys for Children (CATCH). The club focuses on modifying toys for children with different abilities by adding an external button to aide with easier use. Their mission is to “CATCH” the kids that fall through the cracks of mainstream toy design. Darci loves seeing how CATCH impacts and builds their community, and is excited to continue working with others for a great common cause. 

Recently, we interviewed Darci to learn more about her and how social media impacts her life. Here is what she had to say:

What do you value about yourself or others?

One of the things I value about myself and others is authenticity. In this day and age, it’s so easy to hide behind a façade either on social media, zoom, or just overall. I think that it’s important for people not to get wrapped up in the superficialities of what they present towards others, but to show the world who they truly are.

What are your personal goals?

My personal goals are not of the normal sort. While I desire to go to medical school and eventually become a pediatric cardiologist, I would call that more of a plan than a goal. My true goal is to find a niche way I can help others and make a positive impact on their life while enjoying my own. I am dedicated to how I can best use my skillset to aide others while also finding a way to feel fulfilled with the life I have lived. I think it’s important for every person to find balance of work and life which is something I struggle to do now. Thus, it’s not only a life goal for me to find that balance but one that I am trying to attain just through the semester.

How do you feel to be back in class in-person?

I’m excited for it. Of course there are always a couple of nerves at the beginning of anything new, but I think I have more excitement for this semester than anything. I’m specifically looking forward to more in-person opportunities and meeting others throughout the UNC community. This is especially true when it comes to Carolina Adapts Toys for Children. Through this student-run organization, we get to modify toys for children with different abilities and donate them at the end of each semester. While I enjoy the work, the people are even better. This club has created such a sense of community within its members that I am proud to be a part of it.

What are the things you try to accomplish each day?

There are three things that I really try to accomplish each day. The first is making my bed. While this may sound silly or like such an easy task, it’s a way to start the day with an accomplishment. However small it may be, it helps to know that you have done something productive throughout the day. The second task I try to accomplish is to make someone else’s day a little bit better. This can be as simple as making someone laugh or as complicated as a big favor. Either way, it helps to know even if I am maybe not having the best day, someone else’s day got a little bit better. The third thing I try to do every day is some sort of physical activity.  I have found that being active not only improves physical health but mental as well and can be an excellent tool when it comes to unwinding after a mentally strenuous day.

What or who inspires you most?

Of all things, my mom inspires me most. Growing up, she sacrificed so much of her career and work life to raise my brother and I. Throughout that time in her life, my mom and I grew such a great friendship. I admire her dedication as a mom among so many other things. As I grow, I truly aspire to be like her and show such dedication to those I love and always strive to excel at everything I do.

How has social media acted as a positive influence on your life?

I think social media has acted as a positive influence on my life through sparking creativity. One of the most tangible ways is through culinary ideas. Although COVID has prevented a lot of larger gatherings, I have found that it’s often fun to create a sense of community through cooking and dining with others. This often comes through finding a new dish I want to try and sharing the recipe with others or swapping recipes. Overall, I would say that while social media is an online resource, it’s had the most impact on my in-person connections.

Of our Seven Social standards, which one would you most resonate with and why?

Of the Seven Social standards, I resonate most with Strike a Balance. Far too often, I have succumbed to stress and pressures of school that I lose sight of the things in life that I enjoy. It’s easy to fall prey to the pressures of society, academia, parents, friends, etc. and worry about them constantly. It’s important to take a step back and find time to enjoy yourself. What is life if you are not enjoying it?

If you could go back and talk to your younger self, what advice would you give to her about navigating social media or social relationships? 

Going back to my younger self, I would stress that it’s not a matter of how many followers you have or how many likes your posts get. It’s about creating a community of people you want to share the special moments in your life with. I can remember a time when I would wait for the “right time to post” or try to find “just the right picture” but it’s really about neither of those things. Social media is a fun way to share moments and pieces of yourself whether it be artwork you drew, a fun snowboarding trip, something beautiful in nature, or just a picture you like of yourself.


The Social Institute partners with schools nationwide to empower students, families, and educators to positively navigate social-emotional health, social media, and technology. Schools access our student-respected, turnkey curriculum through WinAtSocial.com, an interactive, gamified learning platform. With solutions for students, parents, and educators, we offer a systemic and comprehensive SEL program through a unique and positive approach. We are proud to serve public and independent partners such as Ravenscroft School, Woodward Academy, Oldfields School, All Saints Episcopal School, Lake Forest School District, Boston Public Schools, and more. For more information on how to empower your students to make high-character decisions online and off, please contact us.