Facebook has become an integral part of life for college students, and a part of mosts’ daily routines. Its changes make national news, and its features allow students to keep up to date on the lives of those on campus, and distant high school friends from whom they may have drifted. It’s even arguable that it has changed the approach to relationships on campus.
How do students use Facebook? As part of the average Facebook profile, students are required to give some information about their relationship status, or lack thereof. And relationship status isn’t just as simple as single or not single. Now, it’s single or “in a relationship,” “in an open relationship,” “married,” “engaged” or the confusing “it’s complicated.” There is then the decision of choosing your partner.
“I like that my profile says in a relationship [and] I like that his profile says it…because I’m proud to be with him so I’d like other people to know that” said sophomore Emma Clear.
Some use Facebook as a dating service.
“It really is a totally free version of J-Date [an online, Jewish dating service],” said junior Matt Adler. “As long as people aren’t creepy, I think it’s totally fine and there’s no reason to stigmatize it.”
Matt explained how, as a part of the gay community at the University, it’s often hard to find dates.
“It’s harder for gay people to meet people that way because you don’t know who at a party is going to be gay,” said Adler. “And this way you can cut through the BS.”
Even if you do find someone special via Facebook, broaching the issue of declaring your relationship to the Facebook-world can be intimidating.
“I took the single part out when we were exclusive, when we were really interested in each other,” said Clear. “I think we waited until we were comfortable enough and secure enough and we weren’t worried about it being broadcast.”
In terms of bringing up the actual subject matter, “it wasn’t as awkward as I thought it would be” said Clear.
It sometime seems that no one actually puts single status on Facebook.
“I had fake a marriage,” said Adler. “It was totally on a whim. She just like sent me a thing over Facebook.It was just sort of silly. We broke it off some point this year because I really wanted to put I was single to make it abundantly clear.”
The entire Facebook relationship was amplified with the addition of News Feed last semester.
“[Putting ‘in a relationship’] happened to coincide with the News Feed thing so it was really awkward. I would have preferred I had figured out how to change the privacy thing so it wouldn’t be broadcast,” said Clear.
Adler still thinks it’s a bit strange.
“Honestly, I think News Feed is a little weird. I turned mine off,” said Adler. “I think it’s a little weird it’s there when I come on Facebook and obviously I might check something written, [but] I guess I’m more tied up in finding my own then following other peoples’.”
As for using Facebook as a dating tool, Adler still believes it’s convenient and helpful.
“I think there’s a negative attitude towards using the Internet because to a certain degree it shouldn’t be a replacement for real people. As long as it’s being used in a safe and reasonable way and your ultimate goal is to meet nice people, it’s fine,” said Adler.