<p>I only recently joined this forum and am amazed at how much activity takes place here and how certain hierarchies and "online egoes" have developed.</p>
<p>I joined this forum after a buddy, who interestingly enough is a pre-med, asked me to join. He reports spending hours on this website and Student Doctor Network each day. This worries me. </p>
<p>I'm sure this may be the case for many other people - although I wouldn't endeavor to say that it's all of the people on this forum. But my (non-PhD in psychology/education) opinion: go out and experience the beauty of college! Go to guest lectures, chase girls/guys, spend a day in obscure bookstores reading random books, have pointless but endlessly entertaining conversations with people in your dorm, hike through the woods, go to social events organized by the school - and basically, just do something that keeps you away from the screen. The college campus is an intellectual and social wonderland so take advantage of it.</p>
<p>I'm not going to lie: the internet has its benefits indeed but wasting several hours of the BEST and MOST CAPABLE years of your life building up a cyber-ego is, put bluntly, a bloody waste of time! There's a difference between finding an answer for a practical problem and aimlessly browsing the web in hopes of a life-changing informational gold mine is an exercise in futility. </p>
<p>It reminds me of an interesting quote that I remember hearing: "Successful people don't read self-help books." or the more famous "the only way to get rich from a self help book is to right one." In other words, experience the world, not the mental abstraction of an online world.</p>
<p>NOTE: I realize that this doesn't apply to everyone and it's only a minority that browses through these forums compulsively. Apologies. </p>
<p>It might not be inaccurate to say that I am on CC for hours a day, but that is because I am on it during the two minute breaks I take here and there while studying. If I weren’t sitting at the computer for hours on end anyway I wouldn’t be here. :P</p>
<p>Otherwise, I think most people here are aware that there are other things they could be doing without needing you to tell them.</p>
It should worry you, because that sounds kinda creepy.</p>
<p>The mistake you’re making is assuming the average poster here is like your friend. Most people don’t use this site frequently; generally people make accounts to get advice for college, applications, transferring, financial aid, graduate school, etc. Personally I log in about once a week to browse the College Life forum to see if there are any interesting topics. I think people tend to waste more time on facebook or email than sites like this. </p>
<p>I think you need to tell your friend exactly what you just posted here. In all honestly, I don’t know how he could spend hours on this forum; it has a good topic now and then but mostly the same questions about college.</p>
<p>Indeed, I am worried about him. He also tends to be a person who complains about having to study the night before his organic chemistry or genetics exams to only make, at best, mediocre grades.</p>
<p>I think that, in general, web browsing (Facebook, e-mail, Twitter, SDN, CC, etc.) compulsively is not only a disservice to your GPA but also to your sense of well-being. And you know what? I think I will talk to my friend about it. </p>
<p>By the way, what can one possibly do on Facebook that requires so many hours? I thought it was just responding to messages and such. Excuse my ignorance.</p>
<p>I am on here quite a bit. Normally it is because I am in a boring class, or I check it while being stuck on the bus, etc. Could I be doing more productive things? Probably, but realistically, I’m going to be watching tv or something instead. </p>
<p>I don’t have time to go to lectures and such. I usually only have small breaks in between things, not enough time to do anything productive. This fills my gaps.</p>
<p>Also, I don’t personally belong to this category of people, but I’m sure there are some people that completely and totally thrive on creating a cyber-ego, and that fulfills them more than any other activity would. Perhaps they don’t have the social skills to do other things, or they’re afraid, but some people just prefer to have an online life to a real one. Which is just as valid. Who are you or I to say how other people should spend their lives?</p>
<p>Emaheevul, my sincerest apologies for attacking your online presence. You just proved my “online ego” conjecture. But to answer your question: no, I don’t. I was simply struck by the fact that someone was so involved in an online community and decided to voice my opinion.</p>
<p>Roxsox, interesting point. I never thought of it that way. It is, ergo, my <em>personal</em> belief that one shouldn’t take for granted the advantages of being a college student and the resources of a college campus. </p>
<p>But on a different note, with my limited experience, I can definitely empathize - at least today - with those that experience a compulsion to check their online profiles.</p>
<p>For further reading, check out Nicholas Carr’s thought-provoking article in the Atlantic as well as his eponymous blog:</p>
<p>Theres other cool sites for other stuff, but theres lots of smart people here and theres other things to talk about besides school here. And you can meet people from all over.</p>
<p>“Go to guest lectures, chase girls/guys, spend a day in obscure bookstores reading random books, have pointless but endlessly entertaining conversations with people in your dorm, hike through the woods, go to social events organized by the school - and basically, just do something that keeps you away from the screen. The college campus is an intellectual and social wonderland so take advantage of it.”</p>
<p>Guest lectures: will probably do that when there are ones I find interesting or relevant to my field of study
Chase girls: **** that
Reading random books: I might try that actually. Or at least start reading more for pleasure.
Convos with people in your dorm: I don’t dorm.
Hike through the woods: I’d rather go to the gym, only because there’s not much hiking very close to my house.</p>
<p>I am in a couple of clubs, and I’m going on a service trip for spring break so we’ll be meeting pretty regularly. Other than that it’s kind of hard for me to get involved at school when I don’t live there. It’s also annoying that a lot of club meetings are at night. And I’m pretty bad at making friends, to the point where I often don’t bother. That’s why I myself spend quite a bit of time online.</p>
<p>You didn’t attack my “online presence.” I just think it’s kind of a dick mood to openly criticize your friend in front of a bunch of people right in front of him.</p>
<p>You said your friend spends “hours on this website” each day. Assuming you weren’t exaggerating, he probably already saw this post. I think it would’ve been nicer to tell him in person rather than have him stumble upon it and worry you think he’s some kind of freak. </p>
<p>And as for cyber-ego’s, I think the opinions and attitudes people bring to this site are the same as they hold in real life. But I think people are meaner online because they can hide behind anonymity and don’t have to be politically correct or sugarcoat things like they would in real life. I’ve noticed posts on this site can be really abrasive or openly rude, and I bet the poster is nicer in real life (or acts nicer).</p>
<p>Idk, I have >1000 posts but I still don’t compulsively check CC. Typically I won’t log in for weeks, then one day I’ll log in, see a topic I like, and keep reading it and responding. Today I checked it 4 timesfor that reason! But after the conversation is over, I might not log in til next month. So if someone like me with a lot of posts doesn’t spend that much time online, I really doubt there’s people who spend hours a day! I notice i tend to browse sites more when I’m supposed to be doing work online though.</p>
<p>I think the people who really browse this site a lot are the parents. The Affirmative Action thread I was reading was moved to the Parent’s page, and I notice there’s always a constant stream of posts on those boards with parents obsessing over every little thing in Junior’s life. I think a lot of them just like to discuss Politics though.</p>
<p>This is likely my last post for a while because I feel called to pursue, in my view, more stimulating things. That said, I do believe from my observations on the forums today that sites like CC can be quite helpful and useful.</p>
<p>This post was simply a way for me to voice my opinion on the matter. As for my friend, he already knows how I feel. We’ve had multiple discussions about this recently and his argument is that if he doesn’t keep up with the information stream of the forums, he might miss something important. He also mentions that it supports his social life. </p>
<p>More specifically, I did mention to him that I posted a thread with my remarks and he said he’d be interested to read the responses but that his browsing habits were unlikely to change - but he certainly doesn’t think of me as a “dick.” (Proof: we’re eschewing the internet and going bowling tonight - my choice).</p>
<p>You know, I too have observed that people are more insensitive and rude online and are nicer in person. And rightfully so. The anonymity and freedom of speech that forums like this grant shouldn’t rationalize rudeness, remarks meant to hurt and as you say “abrasiveness.” </p>
<p>Best of luck to everyone and I do recommend reading the aforementioned article. It in essence talks about how texting/Facebook/email/etc. causes problems with attention and often reduces the ability for deep thought.</p>
<p>Marshall McLuhan put it best when he said: “the medium is the message.”</p>
<p>“Go to guest lectures, chase girls/guys, spend a day in obscure bookstores reading random books, have pointless but endlessly entertaining conversations with people in your dorm, hike through the woods, go to social events organized by the school - and basically, just do something that keeps you away from the screen. The college campus is an intellectual and social wonderland so take advantage of it.”</p>
<p>Guest lectures: boring
Chase guys/girls: boring
Reading random books: very boring
Convos with people in your dorm: can’t think of anything more boring
Hike through the woods: yea do a lot of hiking in the concrete jungle still boring though</p>