Thing 18: Explore Social Networking

Social networking exploded around the turn of the century with a website known as myspace.com, and while it's no longer "top dog" in the social networking area, it deserved its due credit. Facebook and Twitter are now the "in" networks, although Google+ may be the "top dog" of tomorrow. Facebook is an excellent way to keep in contact with people you care about who you cannot keep in contact with personally on a day-to-day basis. I also have a public Twitter account that I use more for business than personal matters. Steph's Twitter They also are wonderful for keeping up with events or topics that interest you personally. While a military spouse, I was a fan (follower) of military-based facebook pages ranging from troop support networks to housewives who were crafty at making military gadgets that I may like to buy or ogle at. As my interests change and my life changes, I follow different pages. I currently follow Austin Peay pages, local newspaper pages, and smaller pages important to more random groups of people, such as pages that follow television shows. I especially love my Facebook and Twitter both because they are free ways for me to keep in touch with my international friends, one of which I met while he was here attending Austin Peay! I keep constant ties with my family in Virginia, Colorado, Georgia, the list goes on and on! I see pictures of people I care about updated and tagged constantly. Social Networking is a must have in a constantly moving world, especially one in which we can keep in touch with those far from us. We must keep up with them, learn to follow them from the luxury of our phones (this is the technology of today), and be ready for the technology of tomorrow so that we are not left behind.