Facebook requests bother me. Especially the kind where I haven't seen or heard from the person since high school. I've recently had two acquaintances from high school request my friendship and I am confused as to what I should do.
When I graduated from high school I never looked back. I danced to the beat of my own drum and my small community knew it. I had no intention of marrying young and popping out babies like many of my friends did. And because of this I can honestly say I've kept in touch with one person from high school and he didn't even graduate with me.
What also interests me is that both of the individuals "requesting" were on my high school reunion committee, the one I was conveniently not invited to. I guess calling my father who still lives in the small-ass town and asking where I could be located was too much work. The snub made me want to totally Romy and Michelle the reunion. It just goes to show that reunions are for the popular crowd. My father urged I not attend anyway (the local newspaper announced it). He felt my accomplishments wouldn't match up with the many children the women I graduated with have had. Where I come from the badges are babies, Bibles, and husbands. No, no, and nope.
So I have not seen or talked to these people, nor would I via Facebook. Even in high school I really wasn't close to them. I'm not into "collecting" friends. In fact the only reason I signed up for Facebook was because my undergraduate students requested it and I felt it might boost my end of the semester evaluations (which it did). So what should I do? I know I'm not alone out there after recently reading this post over at Magic Cookie. Is Facebook something people are now using to reconnect and possibly become better friends? Isn't it just a way to lurk? Am I missing the point? Because I honestly feel like it's more of a "look how many friends I have" thing.
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2 comments:
You've obviously not grown up since high school if you are still worried that anyone would really care that you didn't have kids or husband. And, now who's trying to be popular..."the only reason I signed up for Facebook was because my undergraduate students requested it."
I am 41, just had my first child, have never been married, and I love facebook for exactly what it is meant for...reconnecting with friends I have grown apart from since high school and college. It has been wonderful to go back and chat with old friends, even people who I wasn't all that friendly with have been interesting to get to know for the first time. We have some common ground just based on where we grew up. We were not close, just acquaintances, and now since we are beyond the whole high school, clique thing, we are free to socialize like real adults and share thoughts and experiences, even now that we are half a country away from each other.
I suggest you try it, unless of course your age group has no grown ups in it yet.
Maria in Maine
Well, I gotta give you credit for not just deleting the above comment. Don't you love it when people use your blog like it was their own?
Anyway, I'd be conflicted too. I quit MySpace because why would I hang out online with people I wouldn't hang out with in person?
Hi from another Idaho blogger! (Native of Garden Valley, FWIW.)
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