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Virtual people, real friends
The first thing that Denise Mckenney from U.S.A. wanted to do on November 27 2008 was to log on to her favourite site and send a message to a friend in India. "I’ve been thinking of you and all those in India the whole day. I hope you’re safe and okay. I’m praying for all of you." Nearly 8,000 miles and nine hours away, Kalathmika in Chennai is greeted by a flurry of concerned messages, including Denise’s.
Despite the tense moments that she along with million other Indians across the country had to go through, she was able to smile. Thanks to her online friends, who know nothing or care about the Mumbai attacks but are willing to help, even if it is through a virtual hug.
Making friends online is still an alien concept to many. And promoting them from virtual to real friends is scary to many others. "I was scared initially. How can I make friends with random strangers? But now I’m so happy that I have friends from across the world." Kalathmika affirms.
Thanks to pre-conceived notions, like the Internet is just an endless repository of potential serial killers, many people are yet to find out the actual truth. That the Internet is also full of like-minded engaging people. For the first time in history we’re lucky enough to choose friends not by location or luck, but pinpoint perfect friends by rounding up people with amazingly similar interests, matching politics, senses of humour and passionate feelings about the tiniest hobbies.
For Pradeep, online friends seem to be much closer than his real college friends. "By making friends online, you’re simply speeding through the whole process, bypassing shyness and getting rid of the social awkwardness that comes with trying to make a friend out of a stranger. For people like me, who are shy and a little socially awkward, moving a conversation from the Net to a coffee shop is a much more normal and hassle-free process."
Although the Internet has stretched the boundaries of friendship, it has created a lot of exciting possibilities to compensate the traditions it may have ended. Making online friends is a great way to know more about different cultures and happenings across the world. For instance, the Lunar New Year, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa take a whole new deal of importance on your list because you have a very dear friend celebrating it.
At the end of the day, the very thought that you have someone to whom you can rant on about anything is a very invigorating prospect. It is strange at first. People you’ve never met before are the first to wish a ‘Happy Birthday’. But even if they’re strange, you wouldn’t want to trade them for anything.
Kalathmika sums it up best. "These are friends whom you playfully promise to meet some day soon and secretly make a note to yourself that you will. These are friends who despite everything have stayed with you, despite never seeing you."
Ergo readers write on their experience with friends on social networking sites
Annoyingly funny
A pretty picture of your true self or a fake one is enough to catch the eyes of the wanderers on these social networking sites. Boom comes the request, "Do you wanna friendship wid me?" Arghhhhh!
Countless ‘NO’ to ignore these friendship requests doesn’t work and you eventually add the person to your list, reluctantly and wondering if the person is real or unreal. Nevertheless, you are so overwhelmed when everyone on your friends’ list makes a sincere effort to scrap a wish on your birthday. Nothing wrong in saying these are "Annoyingly Funny".
Anita Clementina, Cognizant
Mistaken identity!
An unknown and mistaken identity opened the doors of friendship. I was lucky to find one of my best pals a year ago. To what I was before and to what I am today I owe it to this buddy. It all started with a mistaken identity and the friendship grew with mails and daily SMSes. Today I have a shoulder to share my joys and sorrows. There’s never been a day where we missed making a call. Thanks a lot, Raji.
Senthil, Wipro
Fraanship request
When I first heard about Orkut, I was hesitant about joining it as Internet security issues always haunted me.
But my curiosity got over my fear to take a look at how it works. And in no time I got in touch with so many of my school friends, most of whom I lost touch. The long wait for my joining date thanks to recession got me to explore Facebook, too. I got active with two-three communities, this after carefully monitoring the people who post in these forums. I have even met some of these online friends, though I was nervous initially.
One such friend whom I got is Ramya. She is also a twin like me and we have so many common hobbies. She has been there for me during my tough times. Even if we don’t talk daily or meet regularly, we know what’s happening in each other’s lives and are always there for each other. I also know of a couple of friends where the friendship has changed life partners.
But, it’s very rare that you meet nice people through these sites. There are people who’ll irritate by scrapping you or sending friendship requests (actually its fraanship request!!). Personally for me, Orkut has been a great source of communication between me and my friends.
B. Soundarya, Cognizant
I am social
Read on to know how each of the social networking sites have added spice to my life
Linkedin.com – It’s here where I get good consulting/insights on business and work free of cost
Twitter – It’s the formula to become popular
Blog – A writers land for sure
Orkut – This is mainly for those I know on a personal level.
It’s also where people (girls) encounter "can we be friends" scraps – the only bug in orkut
Facebook – A cool applications to play with
Digg – Get all the bizarre information you want to see/hear is available.
Girish Mahadevan
Compiled by R.Preethi
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