The Observer, October 14, 2005
Volume XXXVIII, Issue 7
The most powerful stalking tool on earth?
Stalking used to be a game of skill; it was all about picking the right dark sunglasses or choosing the precise outfit that would allow you to blend into your surroundings yet still retain mobility. Good documentation skills, severe mental instability, and an abnormal excess of time were all essential in the building of a successful stalker. But since February of 2004, stalking has become so easy even "normal" people are doing it. No black clothes or binoculars necessary and it's all thanks to the Facebook. That's right, the Facebook. You most likely have already fallen prey to the allure of poking, friending, and profiling friends and strangers alike, all thanks to this innovative website. Since its arrival at Case last February, students campus-wide have become enamored of the Facebook, ignoring growing mounds of work and waiting, desperately waiting, for one more friend request.
With Facebook, finding out about almost anyone on campus has become ridiculously easy. Just type in a friend's name (or, lacking that, anything else about them) in the search area, and voila! The Facebook returns with majors, dorms, room numbers, screennames, phone numbers, and, for you hardcore stalkers, even their class schedules. An entire world of information about individuals has become so accessible that any student, between classes (or in classes for that matter), can check up on the relationship status of that guy/girl in econ class in a matter of seconds.
So yes, with the help of the Facebook, it has become much easier for to find out quite a bit about anyone else on campus. But the flip side of that is that almost anyone else on campus can find out about you and probably already has.
Aside from the massive friends list, what makes for a perfect Facebook profile? According to freshman Jane Kaminski, "It's not worth it if it's not interesting; serious profiles are no fun." Junior Ryan Kelley adds, "Having an accurate picture is important so it enables Facebook to be the new stalkernet." Basically, be honest, be different, and you're sure to impress all the people you don't know who are judging you online through your profile.
Aside from bringing us the enhanced ability to check up on strangers' love lives, there are many other great aspects of the website. For example, what if you've forgotten/lost that math homework due in three hours? Looking up a classmate's screenname on the Facebook can save the time that would have been spent frantically running around your dorm looking for people in your classes. Before arriving on campus, many of the current freshmen used Facebook to meet people in their dorms or other classmates who enjoyed the same sports, television shows, or movies as them. Already knowing people upon arriving on campus made many people's transitions into college life much easier. In addition to meeting new people, Facebook lets you maintain old friendships. Freshman Rachael Fromme agrees, "You can keep up with your friends from home...what they're doing." After leaving for college, it becomes increasingly difficult to stay in touch with high school friends, and Facebook gives students opportunities to communicate without spending a lot of time looking for current contact information. The Facebook lets overworked Case students maintain relationships with people far from Cleveland.
So why spend time in class actually trying to learn? Find out who the person in front of you is dating: you never know when that kind of information will come in handy!
