Beginning of the Year Tips: Five Things Students Should Know Before Creating Their Second Life Accounts

It’s August which means, of course, back to school time! The SLed mailing is is abuzz with questions about account creation, syllabus guidelines, and other issues related to bringing new students into the Second Life grid for the first time.

Let’s start with tips about account creation!

Beyond any technical decisions about hardware and IP ranges there are a few basic common sense things that students should remember when creating their first SL accounts.

1. Gender Neutral Names: Picking a name for your avatar can be tough. I’m sure we all remember trying name after name to find one that hadn’t already been taken. But beyond that, given all the role playing and identity experimentation that are possible in SL, you might want to advise students to choose a gender-neutral name that can suit any identity they develop. In addition, especially for female students, gender neutral names may also decrease the chances of being harrassed, stalked, etc.

2. Easy to spell names: Kewl l33t names might be fun but when people are trying to search for you strange spelling can make finding you nearly impossible. Be creative but avoid swapping letters and numbers like zeros and Os.

3. Associate the right email with your account: SL can send handy emails regarding group notifications, inventory offers, friendship requests, and instant messages. These are convenient ways to keep up with your second life but they can also fill up your inbox. Be sure students select the most convenient email address to associate with their accounts.

4. Filling out your profile: Based on your campus’s guidelines, your course guidelines, and a bit of common sense, students should be advised about listing their profile on the web, providing information about where they go to school, etc. Be sure to walk them through these decisions and the ramifications, benefits, and hazards of their choices.

5. Plan your inventory: It might seem premature to worry about inventory when you’ve just landed in the world for the first time but there’s no better time to become organized. Your inventory comes jam packed with library items and students will soon be picking up freebies and junk yard items that will clog their folders and prevent them from finding what they need for class. Suggest to students that they start off right by creating a few master folders and using them religiously and they begin to accumulate all the typical newbie items.

What other tips do you give to your students as they create their first Second Life account?

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