A little over 40 days ago, I wrote an article for the Echo about my decision to give up Facebook for Lent. In what has honestly seemed like more than 40 days, I have successfully made it through without logging onto my Facebook once. During this span, I learned a lot about myself, the people around me, and even American culture in general.

After the first few days without Facebook, it became really easy not to feel the urge to “check Facebook.” I removed the page from my bookmarks and after a while, it became totally irrelevant to my life. As a result of this, and what ended up being most beneficial for me, my work ethic improved tremendously. The Internet became really boring. I could only read so many articles about fantasy baseball before I felt like I had nothing else to do except my homework. So, needless to say, my GPA was really happy about my Facebook-less 40 days.

On the flip side of that, I really did become totally disconnected with events that were going on at Colby. I became totally dependent on my best friends for news and times about events such as dances, volunteer opportunities or guest speakers’ events. Yes, there were posters and general announcements, but those tend to get buried in a sea of other announcements. I soon lost track of how many people scorned me for not knowing something about an event because all the information was “on the Facebook event page.” Well sorrrrrry, buddy! I don’t have a Facebook right now!

Although I became disconnected from campus-wide events, my personal relationships with friends actually did become much stronger. In the past, I would leave the library at night, head back to my dorm and just click around on Facebook till I got tired. This, however, was no longer possible and my room became a place where I was totally separated from the world around me. And I hated it! It got to the point where I would finish my work and then go meet up with my friends who were still working and watch some TV on my computer till they finished their work. They would always ask me, “Why are you here?” The only real answer I had was that I wanted to be around people. Where in the past, I could just Facebook chat with people to feel connected, I had to now go talk to people in person—and it was great!

I started writing this article before Lent was over and now that Easter Sunday has come and gone, Facebook is now back in my life. And honestly, I could not care less that I have Facebook back. I think I’ve checked it today only a handful of times and haven’t spent more than probably ten minutes on there today. Quite frankly, I can’t wait to get rid of it again. I plan on deactivating my account when the summer starts. So for all those people who want to get in touch with me this summer, it looks like we’re going to have to correspond with telephones! Hooray for actual communication!
In the end, I strongly recommend anyone out there to give up Facebook for an extended period of time. It has been extremely liberating.  Although, by not being on Facebook, I am basically shutting off the last form of communication for hundreds of people who, in one way or another, big and small, have been a part of my life; I would trade that in for the closer relationships I formed with my greatest of friends. I have spent much less time on the computer and more time doing my work and talking to friends in person. I shared links and music with friends and family through a more personal and, for some reason, seemingly more caring e-mail.

As I look back on this year, it was clear that many students and faculty on this campus are looking to build a stronger, more unified community. In my opinion, a community needs to come together, in person, and communicate and work together for the greater good. A good place to start would be in front of the computers we use so much. So let’s get ourselves off Facebook and let’s start building that great community that we all know Colby wants and deserves.