Facebook: the Up-Side

In my opinion, Facebook is one of the greatest online creations of the past few years. For those of you who aren’t familiar with it, Facebook is an online network on which users can create a profile, make friends, write blog posts, hold events, join groups, etc. There are many perks in being a Facebook user in college, but there are also a few drawbacks. Hopefully this post will inform you of both sides of Facebook…

First of all, Facebook is a great way to network socially. You can join your college’s specific network, and join groups formed specifically for people at your college with things in common. These could range from classes, to dorms, to your graduating class. Since you will meet a ton of new people in college, Facebook is a great way to help keep names and faces straight. When you meet someone new, you can add them as your friend on Facebook and write messages to them, etc. You can also get invitations to parties and other functions through Facebook. Not only is Facebook a great way to keep track of new friends, it’s also a great way to keep in touch with old friends, or siblings that you no longer live with.

Along with being a great place for social networks, Facebook is also quickly becoming a place for academic networking. For example, it’s a great way to send out mass messages to group members about a project, or contact people who in your classes for help with homework. For example, I just joined a help group for one of my hardest classes. Students post questions and comments about the class, and other students can post their answers and opinions. Even some of the teaching assistants for the course have joined the group and have been giving us tips on assignments and answers to tough questions.

If you haven’t joined Facebook yet, it would be worth your time to check it out. Have a friend give you a little online tour. Coming next: the not so good aspects of Facebook.