5 ways to take your life back from Facebook

USA TODAY College

Kevin Loker is a junior anthropology major at George Mason University, where he is executive editor of the school’s online news site Connect2Mason.com. He’s also an intern for events and conferences at the Washington Post and a blogger at mediabistro.com’s 10,000 Words

There’s a new book on the market by MIT technology and society specialist Sherry Turkle that every college student and millennial needs to read. The book is called Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other. Its title is a sad but perfect description of how students are living across campuses nationwide, and it speaks directly to a problem we need to recognize, address and change.


Our task right now is to put technology in its place.

Below, I’ve outlined a few things to keep in mind while using Facebook, and I’ve also offered alternatives to the enticing but detrimental elements of the big blue beast. You may not ‘like’ them, but I think there are better ways to accomplish tasks for which you might think Facebook would be ideal. (Facebook may be the first social media website – or any site – that we log onto when we go online, but sorry Zuckerberg, that doesn’t make it the best.)

1) Don’t use chat—preferably ever, but especially for anything important. Better alternative: Use Skype.
If you’re not willing to talk with a person face-to-face, why are you typing it out? Google’s video chat is pretty good, too.

2) Share photos with primarily family and real friends.
Consider making a list of your family and close friends and sharing your Facebook photos with just them. It will be more meaningful for you. Better alternative: Use Path.

3) Think before you post a general status update.
Think through the worthwhile-ness of the comment and whether or not it adds more noise to our information overload. Better alternative: Use Twitter.

4) Don’t keep hitting refresh for news to come through your news feed.
Better alternative: Go to another website and browse it, or pick up a newspaper. 


5) Don’t stalk your friends.
We’re all guilty, but try your hardest. Better alternative: Actually talk to them in real life.

I'm Ron Denaro and thanks for joining College Campus Chatter today!

Ron Denaro is the president of College Campus Trips, a tour company providing high school students with tours of college campuses, nationwide. For more information, call (954) 567-5751 or e-mail: ron@collegecampustrips.com