Living Vicariously Through Social Media

"Facebook creep" is a slang term for obsessively following the updates of others on Facebook.  This can include acquaintances, people you've lost touch with, or even people you never want to see again. But this doesn't necessarily have to be a bad thing. 

           For instance,  this week is spring break for many universities. Unfortunately, I will only have one day off. On the bright side,  I enjoy living vicariously through my friends during spring break. I get to see all the sights and hear all the stories without losing sleep, getting sunburn, or having sand in places that I don’t want it. With constant updates and photos I can sit in the comfort of my apartment and see where my friends have been. 

            Many people won’t admit it but they do the same thing. It’s not taboo to partake in the enjoyment of others' good times. Social media is there for us to socialize through, which includes liking and commenting on the latest cool photo or video your friend just uploaded. After all, no one posts something to Facebook and thinks, “Oh gee... I hope no one "likes" this." People love feedback, and those of us following along can provide it. 

            So next time you have a slow weekend, turn to your Facebook friends. They spent the money on Vale and Cancun while you stayed at home and made money towards that extravagant summer vacation you'll take someday. Spring break might not be that exciting for me this year but I’m sure with all of my Facebook friends I’m still going to have some pretty epic stories to tell. Happy posting! 

Kylee Thetford is a Communications major and a Training and Development Committee intern with the Texas Social Media Research Institute.