Social media has grown prosperous and well developed in the 21st century to the extent that it has become widespread. It has become a commonplace to see people of varied ages connecting to their social media accounts. One of the most popular social networking services is Facebook. This is a website that was created by Mark Zuckerberg with the contribution of other Harvard College students. It was put forwards in 2004 as a free-access website to become one of the most useful mediums of communication.
This virtual space started to flourish little by little until it boomed during the recent years. Facebook, which is managed by Facebook, Inc., has reached a high number of users from all over the globe. Statistical studies have shown that, in 2017, Facebook has reached 2.07 billion monthly global users. Facebook mobile traffic has thrived to reach 1.15 billion mobile online users daily, as of December 2016. What’s amazing about such a networking system is that, through the internet connection, our Facebook accounts could be accessed from various devices such as desktops, tablets, and smartphones. Regardless of its disadvantages, Facebook can definitely be used in an effective way by its users, particularly, by students.
Academic purposes
It might seem superficial that Facebook makes one useful academic tool. Yet, indeed, a clever college student who is conducting research in some scientific area, mainly a linguistic or a social one, could benefit from Facebook in a myriad of ways. In that, during the data collection phase, they can create and share questionnaires on their personal profile to collect responses from members. Added to that, students who are working on online communication can administer surveys based on the gathering of Facebook user statuses.
Connecting with classmates and teachers
Unlike the classical asymmetrical relationship between teachers and students, today, the teacher-student interpersonal rapport has become more friendly and easy-going thanks to Facebook, which tends to create a connection based on a sense of humor, respect, trust, and sympathy. Students can keep in touch with their teachers and feel closer to them even outside the classroom. In fact, many teachers are responsive and available for students who seek instant information or clarification on some academic matters; they wouldn’t ask you to write a formal email for that purpose. Similarly, a student is able to connect with their classmates, which would boost their rapport and create a sense of harmony through constant communication, collaboration, and sharing of ideas.
Entertainment
After hours and hours of studying, it’s enough to log in to your Facebook account to enjoy some online games. Facebook games can be so entertaining when you go on break. You can play games with your friends there. Moreover, you can choose games which boost your memory and concentration capacity so that you don’t feel too far removed from the realm of study when you go back to it after the break. You can still play Facebook games when you get bored to feel a sense of relief.
Self-expression
Only students themselves can really understand the stress they go through due to exam periods, tight deadlines, and homework. Hence, Facebook allows students to express themselves by means of shared statuses, comments, and likes. It is a form of escape from the study-related tension, pressure, and anxiety. Resorting to your Facebook wall to share your thoughts and feelings is an effective way for students to collect their thoughts. It’s always better than bottling up negative feelings.
Community creation
Facebook remains a powerful tool for students. Of course, it is a free-access space that offers them the possibility to create communities by means of pages and groups which can be either open or closed. In such networks spaces, students can exchange many types of documents related to specific subjects. Therefore, if you create a book club on Facebook where you and other members can add books, you would be able to connect with like-minded people, with the added benefit of widening your knowledge within the educational and academic sphere.
Last minute help
It might happen that no time is left for you to search on the internet for information about a certain issue, it could be a simple grammatical rule that you are not sure of and you would like to verify. Instead of going around to visit various online forums and websites, which sometimes do not even offer clear and thorough explanations, a student can post their question on a relevant Facebook page or group. Members would, eventually, provide responses and engage in productive communication concerning the object in question. Some of the members might provide you with links to the sources validating their information, which you might consider visiting later on. This would save you time and effort.
Discounts, deals, and coupons
We all know that the majority of students all over the world struggle to make ends meet. Some of them seek side jobs to make it through university. Given the fact that they are not yet financially independent, students might want to make use of the deals, coupons, and discounts posted on Facebook. Besides, they can use this social media to look for some cheap writing services that could craft a perfect essay for them. Absolutely, they have to be selective so that they avoid overspending.
Finally
By and large, Facebook is a very rich and powerful networking tool that students can certainly benefit from in multiple manners. As outlined above, this online communication medium fosters students’ academic achievement from different angles and allows them to be part of an online community that they can add to and learn from.
