Aggies like Facebook, especially its groups

Aggies like Facebook, especially its groups

By Katie Reeves

Sometimes I Accidentally Check Myself Out in the Eccles Center Windows. Two hundred twenty-three Utah State students have admitted to this by joining the Facebook group of the same name. This group, like many other Facebook groups, helps to unite USU students and build a more cohesive campus.

There are nearly 9,000 people in the Utah State network on Facebook. These people include students, alumni and even a few professors. While Facebook is primarily used as a social networking site, to help people keep in touch with friends, many Utah State students use Facebook to keep up with classes.

Aldo Gomera said, "I was doing a marketing research for an e-commerce project and I selected random people from my friends list to send them a survey."

Many students use Facebook to ask classmates about upcoming assignments and tests. Some classes even create groups to help the class communicate with each other. Facebook can be a great way to contact members of a study group or classmates, if you don't have e-mail addresses or phone numbers.

One of the best aspects of Facebook is the groups. There are hundreds of Utah State and Logan based groups. There are groups supporting different sports teams. There are six groups alone dedicated to JayCee Carroll and several more dedicated to the men's basketball team.

There are groups for clubs, like HURD and Student Traditions Arts and Activities Board (S.T.A.B.) These groups use Facebook to advertise events. It only takes a few minutes to create a Facebook event, and it is really easy to invite hundreds of people to that event. These events help remind people of upcoming parties, games, and other activities on campus.

There are also groups based on where you live. There are Facebook groups for every on-campus housing area and nearly every off-campus apartment complex as well. This allows people to get to know their neighbors better and helps build the community.

There are Facebook groups for nearly every major on campus. There are also groups which connect students from different schools who are studying the same subjects. This can be really helpful for students who need some extra help or who just love talking about their major.

Some groups are dedicated to keeping the traditions at USU alive. There is a True Aggies group and a group called Howler Power, which has helped keep the new finals week howl tradition alive.

Some of the USU Facebook groups unite students in causes. One group, "I think the Merril-Cazier Library should have 2 entrances!!!" is a place where students can complain about having to walk all the way around the library just to get in.

While some people see Facebook as a place to goof off and waste time online, others see it for its possibilities. Hannah Abbott said, "I think it's extremely useful. It keeps us updated on what's going on around us, and helps us feel more connected to the student body as a whole."

Whether you use Facebook as a way to relieve stress and catch up with friends, or if you use it to discuss a team project, it is useful tool for college students.

NW
MY