SAVANNAH MUL — Staff Writer
The latest tweets, picture uploads and easy access to this-not-so-newfangled addiction is what makes Akieme Murdock, junior human performance major, say, “What’s the next move?”
Murdock said there is not a lot of human conversation on what’s happening with others or how someone might be feeling; instead, it’s all over Twitter.
“A lot of the social networking sites like Twitter are today’s word of mouth. Whether it’s a party or a news event at the time, people will tweet about it and everyone will know,” Murdock said.
Today most of all young adults have some type of electronic device attached to them at all times, Murdock said, which allows this generation to have such easy access to online communication.
“I’m definitely addicted to my phone,” Murdock said. “With my smartphone comes the apps; it only makes going on Facebook as easy as texting.”
Another attraction to Twitter, moreso than Facebook, Murdock said are the celebrities. Young adults today will follow celebrities in hopes of finding out information.
“Students will see the celebrity tweets and jump; it’s crazy,” he said.
For Brittani D’Andrea, a graduate student at Fordham University studying social work, met her dream celebrity from reading a Twitter status.
“I follow Alani Anthony, Carmelo Anthony’s wife on Twitter,” D’Andrea said. “I saw she posted something about being at an event at Rags and Bones, which is a clothing store in New York City.”
D’Andrea said initially she wasn’t going to see the New York Knicks star basketball player and thought it wouldn’t be worth it; however, last minute she just went with it.
“You never know what’ll come when you sign on Twitter. I felt so happy,” she said. “He has been the one celebrity I’ve been waiting to meet and it’s all because of Twitter.”
D’Andrea said she still signs on more frequently than before, hoping she won’t miss any other big news or places celebrities might be at.
For Kayla Peterson, a Southern earth science major, said without her phone every day she feels like she’s dying.
“If I don’t have my phone, I feel lost,” Peterson said. “It’s just so automatic now. On my iPhone I have the Twitter app, which makes it so easy to update it every five minutes if I wanted.”
According to the CBS News website, they report on popular social networking sites and how to beat this addiction.
First, to avoid distraction, the CBS news Senior Editor Natali Del Conte said to begin by setting limits— to set aside a time of day just to check social networks. Next, turn off email notifications that get sent via phone or just silence the mobile device.
Another tip CBS news said is don’t network from a mobile device. If the addiction is starting to kick in more, it’s better off not to have social networking apps on a mobile device.
Caley Brooks, a freshman communication disorders major, said she definitely has an addiction to social networking, especially when doing homework.
“Facebook is a big distraction,” Brooks said. “If I’m writing a paper and don’t need the Internet, I will disconnect it; I know if I don’t I will go on.”
Brooks said she never shuts her phone off, but admits if she does get a text or any type of notification, she will finish reading the page or writing the paragraph until she opens it up.
The advice Brooks said to not give into social media, is to shut down your computer for once.
