If you're anything like me, this is probably how most of your free time is spent:
You sit down at the computer desk. You open up your Firefox browser and type in "www.fa...". The rest pops up automatically, you've been there so many times. Welcome to Facebook! You enter your e-mail address and password (if you haven't previously checked the "remember me" box) and log in. Your news feed is full of fascinating new developments: Sally and Mike are now in a relationship (Sally 'is thinking about him <3...'),>since when do they hang out?), and a little hurt that you haven't even had the option of RSVP-ing via mouse click to the bash. No time for hard feelings though, you have 7 new notifications begging for your attention: Someone has just compared you with their friends and thinks 'you are more useful.' Thanks? Linda commented on your status. Ray commented on your status. Linda commented on your status. Ray commented on your status. Can't they just move this conversation to their wall-to-wall already? Kevin tagged a photo of you. I'll look at that later. Cute Boy wrote on your wall. Must read now.
You know how it goes. Sometimes the web excitement stalls for a few days and life becomes pathetic and meaningless, but usually Facebook brings just enough delight to get us through a boring Saturday afternoon, or just enough leisure to reward us for tackling that Chemistry homework. Facebook is there for us when we have nothing better to do (by our own definition, of course). Unfortunately, that is not the only time our dear friend is available.
Maybe I am an exception. Maybe I am the only one who finds that blue and white home page more attractive than that blue and white Math book. Maybe I am the only one who opens the internet to do some research to find that, out of habit, I've already typed in www.facebook.com without even thinking (well, since I'm already here...). Maybe I am the only one who eventually just made Facebook my homepage to save time - because obviously I'm all about using my time wisely. Maybe I am the exception, but most likely I am not. There is no denying it, I am addicted to Facebook. So, I am going to try very hard to do something about it. Thanks to the administration, our school no longer accommodates the temptation, and I am glad! Now it's in my hands to set some more boundaries in my own life, and I encourage you (you know who you are) to do the same. Facebook isn't a bad thing, but at the end of the day, having a thousand virtual friends doesn't really make you friendly, having 10 new notifications doesn't really make you more informed, and having a lengthy wall-to-wall doesn't really constitute an actual conversation. Facebook can be a good thing, but it's not the only thing... so log out already. :)
