Students Give the Gift of Selfies to New College President

This Valentine’s Day, students at New College in Sarasota are giving the gift of selfies.

Last year, the president of the school, Don O’Shea, signed more than 1,200 Valentine’s cards — one for every student, faculty and staff member on campus.

This year, students are returning the love and teaching O’Shea how to take a decent selfie.

“This is great,” said O’Shea, while students showed him some tricks with their phones. “I could get to like this. Wait — what happened? I mean politicians can do it. How hard can it be? It’s just more complex that I thought.”

On Friday, students gathered on campus teaching O’Shea about taking pictures with his cell phone. It was a challenging, but fun task.
“It was really funny watching him trying to figure out his phone,” said student Alexis Pujlo.

O’Shea who was lacking selfie skills, decided to reach out to his students in an effort to learn and get to know them better.

“All of our students take selfies and now I know how to take selfies,” said O’Shea, after spending some time with the group.

So how do you take the perfect selfie?

Students said, first, you need a good angle.

“You have to elevate your phone so it’s higher than you,” said Pujilo. “It’s more flattering this way.”

Second, the students suggested tilting your head and smiling.

Step three, be creative.

“For me I like doing them in black and white because I’m always rosy cheeks and it looks better,” said Maria Simmerling, a student.

And last but not least, the students said it’s important to be yourself.

“I don’t know that there is a proper way to take a selfie,” said McAlister Grant, a student. “For me personally, I just lean into the ugliness. I let it happen.”
The president also had some tips.
“One is to have someone there with long arms and don’t have someone there to cover up the camera part the part that is taking the picture,” said O’Shea.
A selfie lesson the students and their president, will never forget.
Students shared their pictures on social media with the hastag: #NewHeartsDon.