New campus addiction not worth the hype, time

There are a lot of things I do not understand. Quantum physics,for one. The other is the new obsessionwiththefacebook.com.

It has come onto our campus and into our computers with afighting frenzy, competitions of who can have the most friends, or”reconnect” with the most fellow graduates from theirrespective high school.

I have done more than my fair share of research about thisonline ervice and still demand one answer that, mind you, no onecan seem to answer: Why is everyone obsessed withthefacebook.com?

Someone told me, when I mentioned I was writing about Facebook,that it wasn’t fashion. So I’m going to quickly explainsomething.

The wonderful thing about my column is that, even though thename has “Fashion” in it, it’s really abouttrends, about the do’s and don’ts, about behavioralactions, even relationship trends. See? Fashion equals trend equalsFacebook. I’m no math major, but I think that’s calleda “correlation.”

A registered member of Facebook, Ashley Jorgenson, juniorjournalism major, thought it was “dorky at first” tojoin this online site, but is now an official addict after only afew short weeks.

“I’m really addicted now,” she said.”It’s fun to reconnect with old friends and who’ssigned up.”

Senior Meredith McGrath, sociology major, had other ideas aboutthe site.

“I think it’s a way for people to communicate in ahalf-ass way,” she said. “You don’t have to gettoo close to people [through Facebook].”

I’ll have to second that emotion.

I will fully admit — I do not understand the thing. Irealize it’s addicting (or so people have told me), but Ireally don’t understand why.

Elisha Hoffman said, “I think Facebook seems reallyinteresting. I’m just not sure if it’s forme.”

The junior broadcast journalism major said, “I feel likeit might be a huge time waster and make me lessproductive.”

Why do people get sucked into this black hole of a site?

The website says Facebook is a way to “See a visualizationof your social network” and “look up yourfriends’ friends.”

So if you’re into stalking people, this is the tool foryou!

I see how people are using Facebook as a ways to catch-up withpeople from high school.

But isn’t that what high school reunions are for? I mean,what can someone really accomplish in theno-more-than-three-and-a-half years since graduation?

OK, so I realize I’m sounding a bit cynical on this newtrend, so let me clear some things up. From time to time, I doenjoy the instant-messaging service that AOL provides.

It is the quick and easy way to drop a “have a greatday!” message to your friend that goes to school across thecountry.

It’s also been used to somewhat avoid conversations withpeople (say ex-boyfriends), or even if you do not have an extremelyclose relationship (like a phone call would seem random and perhapstime consuming just to see what they’re up to) then IM-ing isfor you.

The Facebook is like the newer more in-depth version on anational level, as it leads viewers directly to a profile andpicture.

Clue magical music! A picture? Like, if you want to show off howgood you look since high school graduation?

You know it! You suddenly have the ability to get informationand drunken pictures of people you didn’t even know youwanted.

Although some still are quite following in this trend.”It’s a tacky way to brag about yourself,” saidMcGrath. “It’s hardly a communication tool. Andit’s not a way to network, it’s a way to showoff.”

Mack Mayo, junior English major, joined Monday and already isconnected to 600 people. “Apparently I’m reallypopular,” he said. Although he said he still doesn’treally know what it is, it is funny to see what old friends aredoing.

Lauren Jamison, junior broadcast journalism major, is not amember and doesn’t plan on being one any time soon.

“I don’t see the point,” she said. “Iuse the phone to talk to people and use the Internet for necessarythings like checking e-mail and shopping. Personally, I thinkit’s for IM addicts.”

So, things I’ve learned so far about this intense onlineconnection site? First, even though it has become a phenomenonaround this campus, no one really likes it.

It’s being used more as a tool to spy on fellow graduatesand see who’s friends with whom (even though you aren’treally friends with these people. It’s like fakefriends).

I’ve also learned that if you’re wondering what oldfriends are up to but don’t have a screen name or phonenumber, Facebook is the place to check up on them.

It’s easy to get sucked in. With constantly checking youre-mail to see who’s asked to be your “friend,”you’re spending more time adding up your online”popularity” than doing actual work or talking toactual humans.

Although it’s not for all, thefacebook.com can behelpful to catch up with “long lost friends.” But justbecause you post some picture of you during Spring Break last yearin a bikini when you looked “really hot” doesn’tmean you’ll get more “friends” and be”cooler.”

Well, maybe just more “poking” from the guys.

Hill Fischer is a senior English major. She may be contactedat [email protected].