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"How to Lose Your Job Via Facebook"

Facebook posting can cause more trouble than we think. The concept of being fired or expelled from school because of social networking is ridiculous. I think it is such a relevant topic, considering today's generation and how much it has truly become a part of our daily lives, and I feel as though most people my age are just as unaware as I was. However, besides the negative aspect of Facebook being completely addicting, I feel as though student's, including myself, are also becoming a bit to comfortable with what they are saying online. The line between what's appropriate vs. inappropriate is slowly but surely fusing and can be as detrimental as to deprive us of our careers, or keep us from getting one.
After learning about how employers and bosses check profiles, I couldn't help but feel a little bit nervous. I wasn't nervous because I had provocative inappropriate things on my profile(which is a problem for most people my age) but I was more nervous for the fact that I might not even know what I'm saying or posting is unfavorable in someone else's eyes until something bad happens. Being a student athlete makes me particularly nervous about what I do, say or post online; you never know when coach is watching. I did a little research about social networking and job loss, and even more shocking found examples of students not getting into certain schools due to college administrators online access.
Of all the examples I have heard and read the most shocking was an account about a girl discussing her job to one of her friends online, who clearly forgot she was friends with her boss, which resulted in her immediate termination from her job.
Although our Social Networks are supposed to be fun and a break from the rest of the world, especially work and school, some things are better kept to ourselves. Hopefully it doesn't take something bad happening for people of my generation to realize it.

Social Networking or Social Climbing?

What is the difference between "Social Networking" and "Social Climbing.” Meeting friends through people, or using people to meet friends? There's a fine line between the two. When I came to SMU, I was so happy to make friends and meet new people, and especially glad that I have made a best friend. But now that groups are being set and you are figuring out who you hang out with the most, it’s hard to understand whether you are having friends because of who you know or what kind of person you are. When people “steal” your friends, it’s hard to tell whether they are expanding their social network and love meeting and making new friends, or if they are using you as a step stool to expand their network for self gain. Do you feel like your friendships are being exploited by needy, social climbing friends or are they simply trying to make more friends for good reasons?

Ridiculous-ness at Mac's

Everyone is familiar with the ever popular "Mac's Place" at SMU, but lately I am not too impressed. If you go to SMU you understand the standards on swipes and how you can "double swipe" if you have more food than is allotted for one meal, but just recently they have put an end to the double swipes that many kids use almost every day; along with the new 2 hour limit of eating after you have eaten at the cafeteria at Umphrey. Personally, I think that these restrictions are unnecessary. First off, it might be a little bit more understandable had they established these rules at the beginning of the school year, but they have just recently (now that it is 6 months into the school year) decided that they are "losing money." First off, I'm not sure why it would take 6 months to realize something like that, especially at somewhere like SMU. Second of all, do we not pay enough for our meal tickets to be able to have a little extra food and to come and go with snacks and drinks as we please? I think we do.
With all do respect to SMU, the food we eat is mediocre enough, so putting restrictions on our meals just makes it that much less enjoyable in my opinion. In addition, no one eats the same amount the same number of times everyday, so the flexibility was convenient as well as necessary. They need to bring it back.

Criminals of the Net Generation

There are man academics, journalists, and pundits quoted Dan Tapscott's book, "grown up digital" that suggest very pessimistic views about our generation; "The Net Generation." It states that we are constantly stealing from others, such as with music and pictures. Our constant exchange of things over the internet through online socializing networks, such as Facebook and Myspace, shows our unlawful and disrespectful attitude towards the makers and originators. When we log onto the internet and downloads songs without paying money, it should be equivalent to that of a criminal offense. Record industries often become so infuriated that they would often consider it acceptable to sue us. We also use the internet with such simplicity that we have become professionals at plagiarizing as well. This paragraph also suggests that our constant exchange of things over the internet through online socializing networks, such as Facebook and Myspace, shows our unlawful and disrespectful attitude towards the makers and originators of the products. When we log onto the internet and downloads songs without paying money, it should be equivalent to that of a criminal offense. Record industries often become so infuriated that they would often consider it acceptable to sue us. We also use the internet with such simplicity that we have become professionals at plagiarizing as well.

In response to this paragraph, I would have to say something along the lines of over dramatic. Not to mention unfair. Not only is it overdramatic in the sense that adults in the music-downloading and computer industries are willing to go to measures such as suing young people, but it is unfair to the large percentage of us who participate in harmless Net surfing. I will indeed admit that illegally downloading music is wrong and there should be punishment, but taking it to levels along the lines of criminal offense is completely over the top. It is safe to say that the computer capability and internet skills that we have equipped ourselves with defiantly have a more positive effect than that of a negative one. The internet is just like every other place, and every other industry in the world; there are going to be criminals stealing, pirating, and figuring out ways to steal. But that does not make the concept of “stealers” applicable to my generation. We use the internet to our advantage because we can. And we will continue to do forever.

"The Dark Side"

Dan Tapscott's Grown Up Digital is a section simply devoted to the characteristics of my generation in relation to the internet, and we have been evaluating it from my different angles in English class for some time now.
The “Dark Side” section of this book makes a few valid points about our generation. However there are many areas in which they make untrue and false accusations about the generation as well. Being a part of the generation helps me to make these assumptions, but I feel as though even if I were a part of the “older generation” I would feel the same way. Perhaps in some ways it reflects a bit of jealousy, or intimidation from the older generation. Not so much jealousy in the sense that they are jealous of our skills, more so jealous of the fact that they feel they had to work much harder at our age than we do; which is understandable. However it is not the "Net Generation's" fault. We were simply born and have grown up in a more technologically advanced society. Just as there were certain skills and technologies that their parents did not posses when they were children. People invent, discover, and find short cuts and new ways of doing things and communicating almost EVERY day. It's part of history, and life. It is not a bad thing, and it certainly does not make our generation "shallow, distracted, or ignorant" by any means. It's simply different and certainly easier, that doesn't mean we don't work. We think, learn, and work differently. But in the end if we are right with God, get a degree, a good job, and a roof over our families head, I can't help but ask, WHO CARES?

Haiti Efforts

Being a student, I don't exactly have time to sit down and watch the nightly news, but when something like the earthquake in Haiti

occurs, one can't help but hear. Many people may be aware, just as I am, but it was not until further research that one discovered

the true meaning of devistation. It is a well known fact that "many people" have died, but with a death toll sitting at around 200,000

and counting, it is hard for us Americans to fathom this sort of tragedy. The catastrophic events of 9-11 sit with a death toll at about

3,000; and that was nearly 9 years ago.

What I admire most about Americans during times like this is how much we actually do care. There are many Americans

involved with the search and rescue missions in Haiti who are not willing to give up until all people are accounted for. Although there are many people willing to give up, there are just as man that refuse

to as well. A 24 year old man named Jean-Pierre was pulled from the rubble on Saturday after 11 days of being trapped. He was

dehydrated but without injury. These sort of stories have sparked hope amongst many families of the missing, but the emotional

devistation seemed to really unfold when the Haiti government announced the switch from "rescue to recovery" mission. A family

of Americans with friends in Haiti has even started an online petition against the Haiti governments decision to turn from a

"rescue mission" to a "recovery mission." The effort does not go unnoticed by any means, but as much as we do it is only temporary

relief. It is hard to tell just how far our efforts as Americans may go.