ENGL 40233

Writing for Publication
Fall 2008


Write on my Wall

  The sun comes up, my alarm comes on shortly after.  Along with email, Facebook gets me going in the morning; the first thing I wake up to is the Facebook home screen image. I'm proud when saying, “I’m obsessed with Facebook.”
Facebook wasn’t known to the world until 2004. Before the website became the most popular social network on the Internet, it was a term used to define the introductional booklets which were given to incoming students, faculty, and staff of preparatory schools and colleges as a way to get to know other people on campus.

I know that cell phones are easy to access and text messaging can be useful for a quick response. Perhaps you're in a boring lecture, a text message could be useful at that point. For me, I don’t get the happy butterflies when my phone vibrates causing a text to pop up, but those feelings find me when I open up to my Facebook wall.

Before modern technology, like cell phones and text messaging, ways to communicate quickly were limited. People expect big inventions to take control of the way we communicate. Facebook is that big invention that has changed our world for the better. I am constantly telling myself to just call or text my friends at different universities, but Facebook is much more fun. It’s inescapable.

In our techno-savvy world, you can register on a website to find your husband, wife or significant other or connect with friends, colleagues or family by Facebook. Wondering what a new friend is up to? Just Facebook him! I find reasons to make new friends during classes and outside of school hours so that I can add them to my list of friends on “Fbook.”

Facebook is easier than a phone call for checking in on an old friend or family member. We all need a way to see how our family and friends are doing and with the click of a button, Facebook helps. I don’t see my cousins from Alabama very often, but I know that Meredith broke up with her boyfriend and Mary Kendall is seeing someone new because my Facebook feed told me.

Mark Zuckerberg founded  "The Facebook" as a means for Harvard University to get to know the staff and students. (Before Facebook went world-wide, it was only available to Harvard students.) Zuckerberg is a genius who knows that keeping in touch with people in college can get very hard considering the exams, social activities, club meetings, and study hours. My main connection to my old high school friends is through facebook. A simple “Hi, just thinking about you!” can go a long way. Every college student understands that even a simple wall post means something.

Facebook started out as a phenomenon and continues today with more and more people signing up every second. Zuckerburg had no idea that someday more than half of the U.S. would be a part of the Facebook community. The social networking tool expanded to all Ivy League schools first, then to most universities in Canada and the U.S. In October 2008, Facebook announced that it was to set up its international headquarters in Dublin, Ireland. Facebook is trying to take over the world, and I believe it can.

Facebook is the new way to chat, message, and share photos. A countless number of applications are added each month. I am curious what new application is on the rise whenever I am on my computer roaming Facebook.

When someone wants to register, all they need is an email account and they are on their way to being a Facebook guru. Facebook wasn’t open to high school students until 2005, but everyone was and still is raving about all the opportunities Facebook has to offer. No one wants to be left behind. I go to the library and I see computers opened up to Facebook pictures, walls, and messages. I go home and my roommates sit and watch television with their computers open to the one and only Facebook. It’s everywhere.  

Most colleges in America are in Facebook’s system, which means that you can view any student who attends a certain college if you also are enrolled. Many friends are made in college, and these days half of them can be found on Facebook which makes easy access to building new relationships. I had a group project and needed to contact Sarah so instead of using email, I messaged her on Facebook. It was easy and I got my share of pleasure being able to use facebook for academic reasons.  A new application called “Friend Finder” suggests people I might know based on our mutual friends. It suggests a variety of people, including college, high school and childhood friends. I just love to expand my circle of friends. Who wouldn’t? Anyone can request a friendship.

Facebook has so much to offer. Older adults can also join this ever-changing social network. The media often compares Facebook to myspace, which may deter more mature Internet users; but one significant difference between the two websites is the level of customization. MySpace allows users to decorate their profiles using HTML and Cascading Stlye Sheet(CSS), while Facebook only allows plain text.

Over time, Facebook has added several new features to its website. A fairly new addition to all applications is the News Feed, which is on the homepage and highlights up-to-date information. You are able to see who changed their profile picture, who wrote on whose wall, current birthdays and general upcoming events.  At first, the news feed had much controversy; people didn’t like the idea of how easy it was to find out about others’ personal lives. It acts as a social newspaper. In response to this dissatisfaction, Zuckerberg issued an apology for the site's failure to include appropriate customizable privacy features. Since then, users have been able to control what information is shared with friends. Users are now able to prevent friends from seeing updates about different types of activities, including profile changes, wall posts, and newly added friends.

Any avid Facebooker will know about the Wall. The Wall is the largest space on every user’s profile. It is made for other Facebook friends to post messages to that particular user. I check my wall whenever I’m on. I usually have a range of 10 people who are my normal wall-writers. I write on their wall, they write on mine. I always feel special when anyone leaves me a few words on my wall.

Many people who are part of this phenomenon will write silly inside jokes rather than something serious because everyone is able to see the wall, depending on privacy settings. People are identified by their profile pictures and user names; they usually write to send a small note to let a friend know they are thinking about them or a sweet salutation.

I first became a Facebook member when I was a senior in high school, and from then on I was hooked. I didn’t realize the difference between a poke and a friendship request, so I was poking everyone I knew on the planet. A “poke” means the exact same thing as a real life poke on someone’s shoulder. It is a way to say hello to friends old and new.  It isn’t all that serious, but it is fun to receive a poke. If you have Facebook, you know that a poke is not that cool if you don’t really know the person. I learned the hard way. If you receive a poke, you will know it by the box with a finger in the shape of a “poke” that pops up with the name of the sender. There is no message attached which makes you wonder, “Hmm why did John poke me?” You have the choice to poke back or remove. Some people will find themselves in poking wars – pokes that never stop.

Facebook Photo is the most used application of them all. I just looked at pictures from what I did last weekend. I camped out by a huge bonfire with bands and friends. I wouldn’t have been able to see the pictures if it weren’t for my friend who uploaded them to Facebook. Fellow Facebookers will “tag” you in a photo; the "tag"is a way to identify users in a photo. In my room, I have a bulletin board with all of my favorite Facebook pictures printed out. If it weren’t for photos on Facebook, I wouldn’t have been able to make Lucy her birthday present (a collage of pictures). I’m so thankful for the photos because when I don’t want to study, I can look at albums to take over my time. When I needed a good Halloween costume idea, I checked Facebook pictures to cure my indecision.

For instance, if a photo contains a user's friend, then the user can tag the friend in the photo. This sends a notification to the friend that they have been tagged, and provides them a link to see the photo. A photo album section can be found on every user’s wall and on the homepage. The photo albums open up to a wide variety of all your friends who have uploaded new pictures. Through Facebook Photo, you can now share special moments with the Facebook community.

During election night, I got on Facebook a couple times to read many shocking statuses. For example: Sally Alton is GOBAMA or Michael Talsberg is You can vote Obama, I’ll take the change. So many people had statuses like, Kim Hatter is moving to Fiji, who wants to come with me? This application allows users to inform their friends about what they are up to. Many people use it as a way to get information out to the public in a quick way. It is a great, useful tool. Your friends that are not always kept in close contact seem more a part of your life when you know their whereabouts.

Facebook released an instant messaging application called "Chat," which allows users to communicate with friends and is similar in functionality to desktop-based instant messaging. I was really into this application right when it came out because I could see which of my friends were using Facebook.  With one click, a box will pop up with a space for a message and you’re talking to your friends.  It’s similar to any type of  AIM, GTalk etc.

Facebook launched Gifts in 2007, which allows people to send virtual gifts to friends. My dear friend Carla sent me a hamburger. My ex-boyfriend sent me a lava lamp. They are cartoon-type illustrations that are small pictures which are found on your wall. I feel loved when I get a gift, because it cost around $1 dollar to send one. Hey, that’s a lot when you’re in college. The gift stays on the receiver’s profile and sometimes pops up on the news feed. It is a way to show youcare without an actual gift-wrapped present.   

It’s not just the poke, photo tag or many ways to message people. Facebook is so successful because it brings people together in another form of community. You don’t have to be best friends with all your friends on Facebook, but it is a great way to have access to other people around the globe. I am so thankful that Mark Zuckerberg expanded Facebook to other communities, because now I get to enjoy every simple joy it has to offer. For 3 years Facebook has been a big part of my social lifestyle and I know that Facebook will continue to benefit my life as well as the growing people it attracts.

 

 

KATE VAN AMBURGH is a junior Communication Studies major and English minor. She grew up in Dallas, Texas, and made the long and grueling 30-minute route to TCU where she spends her time trying to learn the best way to make it through college. If you want to be her friend, offer her a free slurpee, she lives for them.  She loves to dance, not seriously but just for fun. Let her know if you would like to see her moves.