Number 296 - January 2008

The Phenomenon of Facebook - Part II - Facebook and the college student
by Courtney Jewett, HAL-PC, TX Baylor University Senior English major www.alamopc.org/ Courtney_Jewett@baylor.edu Obtained from APCUG with the author's permission for publication by APCUG member groups.
Today's college student is as familiar with Facebook as they are to types of Starbucks coffee, episodes of Grey's Anatomy, and the rising cost of their university tuition.    Students, who comprise the majority of Facebookers, are obsessing over the popular social networking site. In order to gain a clearer understanding of how students are utilizing the site, let's examine the role Facebook plays in the life of the typical college student.    Anson Jablinski, a sophomore of Baylor University, believes Facebook is extremely useful as a "place to keep track of friends as they spread out and attend various colleges." After keeping a tally of how often he logs on to the site, Anson realized he visits it approximately 16 times a day.    Another Baylor sophomore, Elizabeth Lawrence admits that she lives on Facebook. "I check it practically every thirty minutes to every hour that I am on the computer (which is 9 hours a day)," said Elizabeth. She considers Facebook to be part of her daily routine.    Like many students, Anson and Elizabeth check the 'newsfeed' portion of Facebook that provides any updates that occur on their friends, profiles, as well as notifications of new messages. This feature allows users to stay informed in the lives of their Facebook friends.    While visiting the site numerous times a day may seem obsessive, being an active member of Facebook has its benefits.    It's an excellent resource, as it provides the contact information ( cell phone, address, personal websites, e-mail, hometown) of the user's Facebook friends.	Students can use the site as a tool to connect with classmates, form study groups, or ask questions concernrng coursework. Facebook provides ultimate connectivity, free of charge and available wherever one can find internet connectivity.    Junior Baylor student, Helena Sung, appreciates the social benefits of being a member of the networking site. "The 'about me' section gives you some insight into what kind of person he/she is," says Helena, "if you want to get to know someone better and have a better relationship with others, Facebook can be the start of connection."    Student artists, writers, and musicians often use the site to showcase their talent. They can easily inform their friends about upcoming events, and ask for feedback on their work.    Users can add extra' applications, to their profile that are simply for fun and entertainment. For instance, students will send virtual gifts to their friends, or can buy a virtual drink for someone using the Happy Hour application. Petlovers can even create profiles for their animals through the dogbook/catbook applications. With all of the available applications, Facebook offers a great temporary escape from the stress of school.    In college, balancing one's social life with one's academics can be tricky, and certainly, this social networking site has the potential to add further complications. However, if students are able to reasonably limit their usage of Facebook, they can benefit from its advantages without allowing it to distract from their studies.
Number 296 - January 2008