Why I Deleted
My Facebook
Emily Gamiel, Staff Writer
During the second week of December, I received a call from my room- .
mate after she went to write on my Facebook wall and, gasp, she couldn’t find
me anywhere. She questioned: Was she losing her mind? What happened? Was
this a temporary Facebook glitch? The confusion that she was experiencing was
beyond her understanding and what I told her soon after her interrogation was
even more alarming. I answered her question, and after a long, silent pause, she
replied, “You did what?”
Yes, that’s right, I deleted my Facebook. If you ask anybody who inter
acts with me on a daily basis, I am far from a social outcast or loser.I just came to
the realization that social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter used by
most of the people our age are used inappropriately and ineffectively. Misusing
social networking sites is easily comparable to using a utility for a function other
than its purpose. Would you use a TV as a coffee table or a desk as a bed? Besides
the occasional story I hear about a student staying up late to study and ending
up falling asleep on her desk, the answer to these questions is no. So why would
one use a social networking site for something other than social networking? My
social network site resembled more of a complaint board and public space to let
out daily frustrations rather than an outlet to inform, connect, and interact with
friends.
Although Facebook was originally created to rate the attractiveness of
women at Harvard University (which should have a been a tell-tale sign in itself),
it has advanced to measures much stronger than those; potential college groups
are available to interested students, job opportunities are posted daily for those
seeking new workplaces and families are able to keep in touch despite the physi
cal miles that separate them. But do we, the immature college students we have
proven ourselves to be, efficiently use this site for these purposes or do we simply
use it to ridicule and “Facebook stalk” those we aren’t friends with and don’t
intimately know? During my social networking days, I found that people, includ
ing me, were too busy clicking the “like” button to stranger’s statuses and sorting
through countless pictures of people we have never even met in real life to study
every crevice of their faces in the small chance that we might run into them one
day instead of creating meaningful and lasting relationships with people that we
actually care about. And, let’s be honest: who has 1,000 real friends?
Maybe one day when I find myself in an environment made up of socially
developed adults who effectively use social networking for it’s true purpose, I will
regain my respect for Facebook and reactivate my account, or even better, create
a whole new one. Until then, I am much better off, and happier, without it. It has
been four months since I have logged on, and not one day passes where I regret
my decisibn.
Whines and Gripes
collected by Katy Koop and other students
Every time I step in my room it feels like the tropics.
To everyone drafting club constitutions: the title “vice president” does
not have a dash between vice and president. There’s no such thing as
a vice-president.
I have eaten pizza at least seven times since I’ve gotten back from
spring break. Variety, please?
I’ve been sick since last semester, and it just keeps developing into
y ifferent and worse illnesses. Anyone else never getting better?
fVhen sitting in the dining hall only a day after a Student Life Forum,
1 do not appreciate listening to student government members insult
ing the student body for not supporting their proposals and calling
the dissenters self-centered. Those actions in no way encourage me
to believe that SGA cares about the student body’s current wants and
needs, and I surely will not be voting for you again.
Senior Year Reflections
The past couple vreeks have been rough, ever since I found out that I didn’t
-get the prestigious schol^^hip to teach English in Argentina that I applied for
last October. A.s disheartening as the initial rejection was,H had to move on with
back-up plans B, C, and qvcn D, recognizing that this rejection would most likely
not be the last I would experience along my job-seeking journey. I have since
attended a graduate school information session at UNC-Chapel Hilk an action
, I vvasn't quite.ready to take last semester, and have researched appealing pro-
, grams at a few other schools. It’s hard to*be stuck in limbo and not quite sure
of what I’ll be doing within the next few months while many of my friends are
already finalizing their falkplans, but I trust that this brief lull will be good for
me. Still, I’m not sitting and "twiddling my thumbs! I can’t give up^on my post-
graduation job search because:fpending|he interim period unempbyed is not an
option.,If I’ve learned anything from my few thus-far trial-andterror attempts,
it’s that time is of the essence in this economy, and there’s none to waste if you
want to get hired.
To that end, tbday.I went to Academic and Career Planning (ACP) to get
help with rcs|ructuring my curriculum vitae and marketing myself in prepara
tion for future job applications and interviews. I probably should have set up a
\ent in the ACP office last semester whpn it first became my treasiffed second
hbme( (S||haf not#I>tinngly encoUrage eireryonefo taki advantage of that
valuable resource before graduation. Amy fosordo informed me that ACP offers
frig workshops available to Meredith alumnae along with the current student
po;|ulatibn that it already sSrves! I’ve attended multiple events and have been
exfremely pleased with the service,! have received.there. How, I can honestly say
tl^t although college graduation is bittersweet, I feel hiore than well-prepared
to position myself appropriately for the work force, graduate school, and be
yond: ' ■ • ^ . , " , - ^ /
The only semi-truth that is^difficult for,me to conceptualize is the knnwledge
that once I enter “the real world,” there mity not be a'viqble opporfurijty for
me to.go .abroad again on my own time and dime. I’m worried that TftlS IS IJ
because in ffie work force, employers don’t grant their employees spring breaks,
siifhmer breaks, or winter breaks to spend halfway across the world. Sure, one
earns paid vacation days..'.:at the walking rate of a three-toed-sloth!' In all seri
ousness, though, the ample vacation opportunities for whichmniversity study
allows is one very goodxeqson to pursue postgpduate education for as long as
you pan—and if you successfully reach the doctoMte level and decide to become
i a professor, those sabbaiticals don’t sound too had, either.
Lam tremendously thankful for the Meredith College comniunity’s provi
sion of both scholarly and personal support ovbr the past four year$,that I have
made this campus my home. Hefe’s to looking forward to a new beginning in a,
■ few weeks, hopefully orie that will lead all of Us members of the Class of 2011 to
even brighter horizons! ,, , '
The Meredith Herald would like to thank the
Meredith community, Hinton Press and our
advisor, Ms. Suzanne Britt, for your support this
2010-11 academic year.
We will return in the fall with an exciting issue
for freshmen orientation and new ideas for our
publication. We hope you’ll join us in reporting
Meredith!
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