I remember first hearing about MySpace when I was in middle school. It was brand new at the time, and I remember people’s reactions. Instantly, it seemed, two sides were taken; those who loved the site, and used it almost religiously, and those who deemed it “sketchy.” I was one of the protesters who deemed it sketchy, yet I still remember creating my own page and joining MySpace. I don’t recall what my page was like at the time, or how frequently I checked the site, and it never became an important part of my life. It wasn’t until years later that I discovered Facebook, and my social networking skills took off.

In my freshman year of college, I remember hearing about a new social networking site called Facebook. I figured (correctly) that it was similar to MySpace, and instantly shunned it. I didn’t want anything to do with it, and as the site grew and became more popular, this only fueled my stubbornness. Eventually however, I gave in. I remember creating my page and trying to make it funny. I also remember searching for old friends and acquaintances from high-school, and adding them as my friends. Facebook soon became an outlet for me to show the world how I was doing, or at least what I wanted them to think. I could post pictures of myself looking cute, or change my interests in the hopes of impressing someone; and I did this often. Facebook became an addiction. I would check my page several times a day to see if someone had written a comment on my wall, or posted new pictures of me, or left me a message in my inbox. Facebook provided an easy and quick way to both identify myself to my friends, and be aware of their latest activities as well. After the first couple years however, the novelty wore off, and Facebook is now reserved mostly as a reminder of my better networking days.

Social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace have become a very important creative force in recent generations. Although a few of my Mom’s friends have made their way onto the pages of Facebook, it ultimately remains an activity for the younger generations. It allows the user to share personal details about their life, and build friendships with people. It has become a new way to socialize, and the popularity and need for social networking sites continues to grow and adapt.