<p>I notice that a lot of forum posters just seem to post for a bunch of people they don't know. There is only a small chance that they will be noticed enough for their posts to a level where someone will befriend them. Perhaps people initially post for information-seeking purposes. Sometimes, I suppose that it's somewhat fun just to post in a room full of strangers all of a sudden and then leave all of a sudden <em>remembers collegeguy2k7</em>. It's usually unlikely that you'll make friends in the SAT threads or in most of the high school threads. On the other hand, I suppose spamming together is a way to make friends. Or posting thoughts to a random audience. I dunno - going to a forum - your posts are available to everyone so there's always a chance of a small match. Maybe people initially post to ask questions or something. I wonder if some people make their first post to brag about their scores.</p>
<p>Some people also just post a bunch of very helpful replies - even though they don't seem to make any friends for it. I suppose it just feels natural to be helpful for something you're an expert at (this seems to happen a lot at the individual college forums)</p>
<p>I'm just here to get as much college information as I can. If someone comes along that we have alot of similar, then great. It's not like a myspace or anything lol. Most of the people are here for the abundance of information about what college they want to go to.</p>
<p>I just come here to ask questions or get as much information I can about anything or just when I'm bored. I find a lot of posters interesting but I don't really try to make friends here :S</p>
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I'm just here to get as much college information as I can. If someone comes along that we have alot of similar, then great. It's not like a myspace or anything lol. Most of the people are here for the abundance of information about what college they want to go to.
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<p>Haha yes. I'm wondering about the distinctions between those who post and those who read but don't post (and those seem to be the majority). Why can some people post whereas others can refrain from posting themselves? (and they're not just chances threads - most posters do have post counts that are fairly high). I made a few friends from here - but it's hard to hold onto any of them for long since someone has to always take the initiative in maintaining contact for months at end.</p>
<p>InquilineKea-Haha you should take a look at the USC Transfers thread. There's alot of people that forged friendships in that thread if they got accepted into USC. Last year, all of the people that got accepted to USC met at transfers day.</p>
<p>Ah yes - making friends through going to the same college. Though that certainly doesn't apply for, say, the 9th and 10th graders in the high school forum. ;) (I used to be one of those)</p>
<p>Haha I know there are so many youngins in here, and I wish I found this site four years ago when I was a freshman in high school. So what college are you planning or going to?</p>
<p>While I've formed some vague opinions about who the frequent posters are and what they're like, I don't really know any of them well enough to befriend them. And I don't really post looking for friendship because, well, the thought never crossed my mind till now. Places like CC are good places to exchange advice, resources, and information, but I don't go beyond that. I can't form friendships online when I've never met the person. Plus, I'm more of a lurker/drifter than I am a regular member. I usually pay more attention to the posts themselves than their authors. But there are some people on here whose opinions I generally respect.</p>
<p>I am pretty new here so no idea, although I have a CC poster on MSN and I have received an e-mail from a CC poster even. I consider CC as they best source of online help and since I am a forum addict it just works really good for me. I lack a social life in reality as most people don't have a westernized way of thinking as me and my day to day companions are usually my relatives and they're not exactly wellwishers. So the most worthwhile associates I have are people I've met on the internet. I have yet to make a friend in the CC forums but perhaps it will happen in the future.</p>
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I usually pay more attention to the posts themselves than their authors.
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<p>Ah yes - I used to do that too. :) Then you start to notice some particularly helpful posters. But I don't remember the names of most posters. </p>
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<p>It's an interesting research question too - why are people motivated to socialize online, as opposed to real life. It's too bad that sociology professors are too obsessed with inequality (and their models of that) such that they can't pursue this.</p>
<p>And a lot of people do post their scores on "what scores did you get" threads and even their heights/weights on "what is your height/weight" threads - yet - is there any rational motive to do so? I posted an intriguing "what's your height/weight" thread - and the most intriguing part of it is how it's one of the most popular threads in the HS forum - even though there is no rational reason for anyone to show off their height/weight there (indeed, there was a rationale behind it ^_^).</p>