Facebook Domination...

Facebook. It is a noun- to describe the Web site-a verb-to describe the action of "adding someone as your friend"-- and a way of life for thousands of College students, professionals and individuals around America and ultimately the world. Is it taking over?

According to Virginia Heffernan in Sunday's NYT Magazine it is. According to me, a 21 year old journalist-- it is not.

Why do I say this you may ask? I say this because as someone who lives, breaths and makes money via online journalism, I can tell you that Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Digg, and every other Web site devoted to social networking is essential to my career. For example, after I complete this post, I will "shrink" the URL, via a widget Digg has recently installed (thereby sharing it with that community) and then I will simultaneously post it to my Facebook and Twitter via either my iPhone applications and/or my desktop widget--Tweetdeck via Adobe Air. This, in the past month has increased my views from approximately 1-2 per day to 9-10 per day. Now these numbers are quite small, but I am writing on a small scale-- if I were a corporation, magazine, newspaper etc (or working for one as I previously did last year and this summer) it would be dramatic.

Facebook allows the generation of "gotta have it yesterday" to communicate with one another, attend events, share news, pictures and ideas and ultimately create a place where they feel save enough to be "them." However, this broad statement allows for a great variety of contradictions on the subject. Some facebook profiles are misleading; some users do indeed use it to stalk ex-boyfriends, girlfriends and "frenemies"; and still others do sometimes go to the extreme and create Facebook pages as a means to a ghastly end. These are, in my opinion, the exceptions to the rule. Facebook, as I said earlier, has become a verb, an action that we use in everyday life. These Web-isms, as I like to call them, allow us to create, share and develop a greater knowledge of the world around us through the confines of the World Wide Web.

From January 2008-May 2008 I lived in Rome, Italy. I learned to speak Italian and I learned to truly be Italian as opposed to simply being "New York Italian." Europeans have a great respect for culture, diversity and their way of life. Americans have a respect for these things as well, however, we constantly aim to improve, to change. It is the very core of our nature-- we are a nation of change; we are the FIRST nation of change and as such our people (our culture if you will) is devoted to being better, stronger, faster and just...more of everything. This is something that often encourages us to "go overboard." Facebook is used in Europe, but it is not as widely used. Cell phones are used in Europe, but again Europeans take a break every once in a while and learn to "smell the roses."

I believe that if, indeed you feel that Facebook is taking over your life, take a hint from our brothers and sisters "across the pond" and simply take a break. Spend time outside, with friends in real time...and to be quite frank, it's perfectly acceptable to use facebook to set up such an event =)

In the land of the Bobcats...

As I drove up the “one road in, one road out” entrance to QU on this first day of my last year of college, my mind was filled with memories. I remembered the first time I saw this exquisite campus; I remembered the first time I fell in love here; I remembered the hundreds of tears shed, hours spent in the library and of course the classes I’ve taken. But most of all I realized something essential today—this is and will forever be my second home. Quinnipiac University, the land of the bobcats, is where I learned to be me—an independent, 20-something who refuses to let ANYTHING stop her, and for that I will forever be in her debt.

I also noted, and not for the first time, the date below the green sign at the corner of Mount Carmel Ave and New Road. It reads “Quinnipiac University founded 1929.” 1929—a year that brings to mind many things. Firstly, I remembered that 1929 was the year of black Tuesday and the “greatest” stock market crash in history. I also remembered that 1929 was the end of an era of frivolity and prosperity. And finally I remembered that 1929 marked the 10 **check fact** year anniversary of a woman’s right to vote. Despite the fact that women did not walk these hallowed halls and well groomed lawns until at least thirty years later **check fact** I still feel that it is significant that this University opened in that year. Quinnipiac, formerly known as the TKTKTK, saw potential in a time when many could only think of despair and misfortune, and that gives me hope.

So many things are different here, and yet everything always remains the same. As I sit in the newly upgraded cafeteria, I think about how different it is from four years ago, and yet the same friendly (and sometimes unfriendly) cashiers ring us out; Java John, although no longer serving Java, is still serving up corny jokes and catchy phrases with every meal; Freshman still have that “deer in the headlights look” on their first day and ultimately students will continue to walk these halls long after I am married and ultimately send my children, and hopefully grandchildren, off to college. Everything changes and yet everything is the same. And for that, I am eternally grateful.

So in this year of change, I write to embrace and share my feelings and to gain more experience because as someone once said—in not as many words—life as a journey is constantly a learning experience. So learn, embrace and change—it isn’t as scary as it seems.

An End of an Era...

Think back to December 1999—where were you? If you’re a Senior in College like me, you were 11. Can you remember what mattered most? Try to re-connect with your younger self for the purpose of this article as I have been thinking a lot about that person—the person I was—and realized that this year is an end of everything that was, and yet it is the beginning of everything to come. Sound confusing? Read on…

Micheal Jackson died this year, so did Farrah Fawcett, Ted Kennedy and Walter Cronkite. And honestly, that’s only a small number of names of people—famous, infamous, and unknown—who will not see the ball drop as the first decade of Y2K ends this December. They all impacted our world in a different way. Michael Jackson made us love each other and realize that “it doesn’t matter if you are black or white.” Farrah Fawcett influenced years of hair styles and created one of the first images of “strong women.” Ted Kennedy, brother to John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy, passed away; thereby ending a political dynasty. These massive generational shifts happen every so often; as one generation’s norm is taken over by the next’s.

Ten years ago I had a cell phone, but only for emergencies. Now I have an iPhone and without it I am lost. Ten years ago I used AOL and needed to find a dial up connection in order to get online. Now I simply turn my computer and have access to the World. Ten years ago the U.S. Dollar was worth more then it’s weight in gold, today we are lucky if is even worth the paper it is printed on. These changes all contribute to who you are, to who I am and to who, ultimately, we will all become.

What will the next ten years bring? Who will the next King of Pop be? Who will be the inspirational leaders; the movers and shakers of the new Millennium.

Here’s a hint- it could be your best friend, the guy who falls asleep in Math class, or maybe even you. It’s really all in your hands—so be ambitious, be courageous and most of all be proud of who you are and proud of what made you who you are; tragedy, happiness, relationships- they are all merely “rest stops” on the road of life so enjoy every minute of it and take a break every once and a while, believe they are worth it.

NYC Passes a "No Texting" while driving law...

Last week, New York City passed a law against text messaging while you are operating a vehicle. Okay that's great. I get it, honestly I do, however, as a 20-something (the most well known culprits of this disastrous habit) I feel that it should be COMMON SENSE not to drive while looking down at a (at it's biggest) 9 in screen and typing messages to other people!!

Utah, according to the New York Times, also passed the law. The Times also cited that the US Senate is trying to pass national legislation on the subject.

What do you think? I think it's rather ridiculous that we need to waste time passing these laws-- they are excellent laws to be passing as it is a dangerous situation, however, it should be self explanatory!!

I get it, I really do. I generally make most of my phone calls in my car, but I have a head set and I'm talking-- not texting, tweeting or writing an email!!

Come on America, stop the communication for the 10 minutes it takes to get from point a- point b, or at least do it at the lights...

Back to School...

Finally getting back into the groove of things and I've realized some things about myself.

1. I love my apartment and going out with my friends.

2. I hate HATE HATE laundry!

3. I don't really like doing dishes either

4. The gym is the only thing that keeps me sane

5. I'm addicted to shoes- and definitely have a lot of amazing ones that I forgot about...

6. I am totally stressing this year and need to do something to "zen" myself out

7. I wish there were more hours in the day....

And I plan to elaborate these topics in the days, weeks, wee hours of the morning to come =)