Stanley Stewart

Stanley Stewart recalls his disdain for people who use Facebook, then describes why he has joined the crowd.

I was shocked and horrified as I sat there, staring at what I had just done. I became the kind of teenager that I most despised: a social networker. I had just created my first Facebook page.

I always hated kids who used internet social networking sites, and now I was one of them. My name, school and photo were now posted on the internet for all to see. Would I now spend mindless hours staring into the dull glowing computer screen? Had I just become another internet obsessed teenager? Well the short answer is no.

After a few weeks of connecting to long lost friends, laughing at their latest adventures, and looking at old photos, my attitude changed. I’m careful not to reveal too much online, but I’ve learned that teenagers who use social networking sites are actually pretty cool. It may not be the most personal way of communicating, but at least this gives me a way to talk to my many friends — and I’m glad I’ve turned into one of those people that I feared. It’s not a matter of who uses these sites, it’s how you use them to your advantage.