Spring Break
Facebook replacing awkward calls
Barbara Harrington/Staff Reporter
Issue date: 9/9/08 Section: News
Tony Yubik said when he couldn't find his future roommate on Facebook he was worried.
"I was scared he might be a big dork because he didn't have one," said the freshman, who has not chosen his major yet.
The first thing Yubik did when he got his housing assignment was look up his roommate on the social networking site.
"Who doesn't have a Facebook?" Yubik joked.
But after meeting his roommate in person, Yubik said his initial reaction was wrong.
"He's a pretty cool guy," he said.
Now, rather than writing e-mails, making phone calls or even sending text messages to get acquainted with their roommates, more freshmen are turning to Facebook to get to know their classmates.
"It's less personal than a phone call," said Catie King, a freshman pre-nursing major. "And it's not as awkward."
King also tried looking her roommate up on Facebook before she came to Eastern.
When she saw her roommate's page, King said she thought her roommate looked like she had different interests and priorities, but looked nice.
Once King met her roommate on move-in day, she said her impression of her changed.
"She was different than I thought she would be, in a good way," she said.
King said her roommate was the only person she looked up online before coming to Eastern. But once the semester started, King started requesting people from her classes as friends.
"I would be sad without Facebook because I'd probably be eating lunch alone a lot and walking to class alone," King said.
John Morsovillo, a freshman criminal justice major, said Facebook made him feel more comfortable making the transition from high school to college.
"I met a ton of people on Facebook before I came here," he said. "It helped me out; coming here I felt like I knew people already."
Besides meeting people from his residence hall through Facebook, Morsovillo said he also met his girlfriend through the site over the summer.
"I came to Eastern and met her in person, we hung out a little," Morsovillo said. "Now I'm going out with her."
Morsovillo said he also uses Facebook to find out about parties and meet upperclassmen.
"Facebook's just a great way to meet people, especially for freshmen," Morsovillo added. "It makes you feel better about starting up at a new place when you know someone."
Kate Pogwizd, a freshman family and consumer sciences major, said she agrees.
"I only knew a couple people here," Pogwizd said. "(Facebook) gets you to meet people and it's less awkward than going up to someone you don't know and saying 'Hey.'"
Barbara Harrington can be reached at 581-7942 or at bjharrington@eiu.edu.
"I was scared he might be a big dork because he didn't have one," said the freshman, who has not chosen his major yet.
The first thing Yubik did when he got his housing assignment was look up his roommate on the social networking site.
"Who doesn't have a Facebook?" Yubik joked.
But after meeting his roommate in person, Yubik said his initial reaction was wrong.
"He's a pretty cool guy," he said.
Now, rather than writing e-mails, making phone calls or even sending text messages to get acquainted with their roommates, more freshmen are turning to Facebook to get to know their classmates.
"It's less personal than a phone call," said Catie King, a freshman pre-nursing major. "And it's not as awkward."
King also tried looking her roommate up on Facebook before she came to Eastern.
When she saw her roommate's page, King said she thought her roommate looked like she had different interests and priorities, but looked nice.
Once King met her roommate on move-in day, she said her impression of her changed.
"She was different than I thought she would be, in a good way," she said.
King said her roommate was the only person she looked up online before coming to Eastern. But once the semester started, King started requesting people from her classes as friends.
"I would be sad without Facebook because I'd probably be eating lunch alone a lot and walking to class alone," King said.
John Morsovillo, a freshman criminal justice major, said Facebook made him feel more comfortable making the transition from high school to college.
"I met a ton of people on Facebook before I came here," he said. "It helped me out; coming here I felt like I knew people already."
Besides meeting people from his residence hall through Facebook, Morsovillo said he also met his girlfriend through the site over the summer.
"I came to Eastern and met her in person, we hung out a little," Morsovillo said. "Now I'm going out with her."
Morsovillo said he also uses Facebook to find out about parties and meet upperclassmen.
"Facebook's just a great way to meet people, especially for freshmen," Morsovillo added. "It makes you feel better about starting up at a new place when you know someone."
Kate Pogwizd, a freshman family and consumer sciences major, said she agrees.
"I only knew a couple people here," Pogwizd said. "(Facebook) gets you to meet people and it's less awkward than going up to someone you don't know and saying 'Hey.'"
Barbara Harrington can be reached at 581-7942 or at bjharrington@eiu.edu.
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Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Laura
posted 9/10/08 @ 10:43 AM CST
I remember when Facebook came out! I was in college then.... ahhh life before the Facebooking. I don't miss it.
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