In recent years, people have been able to build stronger relationships than ever before, but new technologies have changed the way people interact face-to-face. When it comes to the world of dating, texting and Facebook have had a strong effect on relationships. But, many Benilde-St. Margaret’s students do not agree on whether technological interaction helps or harms their relationships.
Some students believe that texting someone is a way to ease into a relationship or friendship with someone, and it leads to less awkward confrontations in the future. “I get to know someone more by texting, because when you meet for the first time in person, it’s usually awkward and if you text, then you’ve developed a conversation so you know what to talk about,” said senior Patrick Daly. “But, it also depends on what you’ve talked about.”
Such an ice-breaking tactic can be used to meet new people or interact with people one has never met before. “I tend to text girls that I’ve never met before, and that’s how I develop my relationships these days, and I usually meet most of those girls via Facebook,” said senior Mike Blessing.
Some types of technology, like Skype, have proven to be useful tools in relationships. This popular video-chat and Internet calling tool allows people from different areas to communicate, many students also find it useful for homework help. “If someone has a long-distance relationship, Skype is awesome. It helps you stay connected with people more than just on a phone call basis, and it helps to have a visual of someone that is far away that you can’t see all the time,” said senior Nettie Sparkman.
Another notorious tool that technology has brought is the harmless and somewhat over-used Facebook poke. Many students agree that one of the best ways to start a conversation with someone is by poking them. “If I want to get a lady’s attention, I’ll poke her on Facebook,” said sophomore Connor Allen.
There are obvious benefits to texting and Facebook chatting; one being the avoidance of awkward confrontations, but something that is often overlooked is that using this technology can often lead to miscommunication. “A lot of times people misinterpret texts into something they don’t mean, or if someone doesn’t answer their phone or doesn’t text back, they overreact,” said junior Hanna Albertson.
When people rely on texting for their relationships, it can also detract from the substance of face-to-face interaction. “People get so into a relationship on their phones that they won’t actually spend time together. People can’t depend on their phones, like if you’re breaking up with someone you should be able to say it to their face,” said Albertson.
If a relationship is developed over text to avoid awkward situations and confrontations, there’s a possibility that it will never stray away from that type of interaction. By using this communication instrument people may not be able to develop the proper connections. “If people want to talk to you about something serious, something that should definitely be dealt with in person, they always text about it,” said junior Sarah Silvestri.
Texting and Facebook have not only changed they way people interact with each other, but they have also affected how a real relationship is viewed. “Most people believe that ‘in a realtionship’ means being Facebook offical, but Facebook shouldn’t have to say where you are in a relationship. Facebook has made relationships other people’s business,” said Albertson.
Technology has had a drastic affect on how teens today interact and develop relationships. But they don’t necessarily help in building structured and substantial relationships. Plus, there are many more effective ways that people can use to communicate with each other. “I don’t like talking over technology, calling is fine,” said junior Kaitlin Duda, “but for a relationship, using technology isn’t personal at all, and words can get twisted.”
