Facebook. The social networking site we've all come to know and love. The place where one can view friends' photos, comment on their walls, and brag about their vacations all from the safety of their own home. The average U.S. user spends 7 hours a month on Facebook, which is more than 14 minutes a day. I still think this statistic is a little low.
Personally, I spend more than a few hours on Facebook a day. This is due to the fact that I am taking a laptop heavy course, and have the attention span of a goldfish. However, I have barely a shred of an excuse for my use of it after school hours. I talk to long-distance friends on the chat, and I internet stalk people: ex-boyfriends, their girlfriends, people I hate from high school, and babes. I know I'm not the only one who does this.
My undergraduate thesis for my honors degree in Psychology was on modern addictions, one of which was "internet addiction." It's funny to know so much about it, yet still have fallen victim. Facebook is a drug, and I am an addict. The first step is acknowledging that you have a problem.
Now that I have done that, here is the challenge: I have challenged myself to stay logged off of Facebook for 4 weeks. During these 4 weeks I will post once a week (at least) on my withdrawal symptoms, as well as how various aspects of Facebook have changed our interactions with people and our lives. These will include:
- Facebook etiquette
- The weight attributed to "relationship status changes"
- "Facebook Stalker Syndrome"
- The Boss - to add or not to add?
The Facebook ban begins November 15, 2010 and is lifted December 16 2010. The fact that I didn't think I could do this challenge is the main impetus behind this. The possibility of failure is unfortunately a reality, and it will be a sad (re: pathetic) day if I do. Zuckerberg will have claimed my soul. However, failure or not, my goal for this challenge is to relearn how to connect with people on an organic level, without the screen. Wish me luck?
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