Since its arrival years ago – at a time when most of the Carroll student body was in high school – Facebook has managed to ingrain itself into our daily existence, and change the ways we look at both our friendships and romantic relationships. It’s hard to imagine a time where we didn’t hear the words “poke”, “creep”, or “Facebook official” in everyday conversation. And like it or not, the popular social network site is here to stay.
Mashable.com, one of the internet’s leading news sources for all things social media, examined the ways Facebook has changed dating and came up with some key points that college students can likely agree on. The first, it gives the user a chance to obsess – more than usual – about their significant other (or potential significant other). Did they write on my wall? Will he or she poke me back? They didn’t put me in their profile picture, what gives? These anxieties can lead to Facebook stalking (better known as “creeping”), and a blow to the confidence level of the user.
Another downside Facebook has made to the dating world is the ability to constantly see what your ex-partner is up to – whether you like it or not. It’s hard enough to get back on your feet after a breakup, but having to look at posts in your NewsFeed seeing that he or she is so happy to be single again, or with their latest main squeeze, can be rough. The easiest way to bypass this is simply to defriend your ex, but if you can’t bring yourself to do that, another option is blocking their posts from showing up in your NewsFeed.
Keep in mind that when something is “Facebook official”, everyone can see that. And that includes when you break up. Breaking up on the social networking site is awkward and uncomfortable – having all your friends and classmates see that you are suddenly single – and running the risk of someone “liking” your newly-single ex’s changed relationship status – can be slightly overwhelming. The best thing to do in this situation is to stay classy – avoid any depressing statuses or digs at your ex. Keep the drama to a minimum and you can keep the peanut gallery from chiming in.
Finally – remember to utilize those privacy settings and use common sense while on the site. Just because Facebook has become such a commonplace thing in our lives shouldn’t mean you let your guard down. Practice safe behavior on Facebook – and all social network sites – so you won’t have anything to haunt you later.
