Facebook is consistently becoming an essential part of many people’s lives. It has grown into a link to people, groups, networks, places, everything. Many notable and respectable companies have a Facebook site now; even universities have joined the social network and encourage students to connect through it.
Take University of Tampa, which has a site for incoming students that allows them to get to know each other months before school starts and ease the transition into a new environment.
Groups are made, roommates meet—virtually that is—and begin to become more familiar with each other. University staff can clear up any uncertainties, answer questions and pass relevant information on Facebook.
With the increase in new students to UT, as well as the popularity of the social network, the interactions on Facebook with staff and new and old students has drastically increased. This move toward Facebook may initially seem very positive. Realistically, however, it is not.
The ease and flexibility of getting to know people on Facebook makes it seem like the best way to meet new roommates, make new friends and generally get rid of that initial, awkward first meeting—this is the deception created by Facebook.In reality it is not that easy to talk to people, become friends and start a meaningful relationship. It takes a bit of time and it depends on how well two personalities interact.
There are so many things that people overlook when they try to connect on Facebook. One of these is body language; it is a major component of communication. It has a huge role to play in the impression you make and how you are perceived.
This aspect is what makes a connection between two people real, allowing people to be comfortable enough to have a conversation and want to open up to someone new.
On Facebook, however, this aspect is non-existent. You can never be sure whether you are really “clicking” with someone; it is all somewhat fake.
Sure the awkwardness is temporarily gone and everyone seems to be nice, but you can never know. You are just reading words on a page and interpreting them in your own way. You have no guarantee that you will get along with this person when you meet them in the flesh, and you don’t know whether the way they carry themselves will annoy or impress you.
A saddening and embarrassing scenario is coming to UT feeling like you have all these new friends and maybe even a group to hang with, then being hit by reality when you meet these people in the hallway and they have no idea who you are and do not wish to know.
They already have friends that they made in orientation or met in person and clicked with, people they get along with and want to be around. So much for depending on Facebook. You end up finding yourself with faux friends, better known as just “Facebook friends.”
Facebook is not wholly bad, nor is it wholly good; it works for some things, but not all. It should not to be taken seriously as a reliable form of communication. The best way to meet people and make friends, especially when you are new, is to meet them in person.
Why give up all the fun and excitement of bonding with someone for a company’s financial gain? Think about this the next time you connect with a stranger over Facebook.
Camilla Chebet can be reached at cchebet@spartans.ut.edu