Dual Identity

"You are sentenced to three years in prison. No parole," The judges voice boomed out to the half full court room.

The Facebook comment was still projected onto the wall. The ugly and harsh words seemed to be magnified by the stares of the people and a crying woman behind him. The handcuffed student slowly looked down. He couldn't make eye contact with the judge that had just ruined his life. No. It wasn't the judges fault. It was mine. He suddenly became self conscious of his thoughts, as though the entire room could hear the voice inside his head.

He knew he shouldn't have done. He had wanted to be cool online. It had all started as just a bit of fun. Just a little messing around in some of his comments on statuses. He had wanted to fit in with the cool crowd, of course.

His best friend had made a comment to him, in person, about his sudden change online. He remembered the comment vividly, wishing he had listened to it in the first place.

"You know, you really aren't the same anymore," His friend had said. "You better watch what you say, man. It's going to come back and bite you."

He had shrugged off the conversation. He though his friend was overreacting a bit. No one could get hurt when they were all hiding behind computer screens. And besides, it had all been just a little fun.

But things changed rather quickly. James Castle was his name. He jumped out of a bathroom window in the top floor of the school. Suicide.

It was all because of me. There were his thoughts again. He jumped because of me. I pushed him to do it with that stupid comment of mine.

He was escorted away by the bailiff. He looked at his parents in the back of the room. They were in shock. His mother waved at him, almost as though she was reaching out to grab him. He waved back.

He looked at the comment still projected on the wall.

"You might as well just end your life now. No need to put us through the misery of seeing your face everyday."

The janitor turned off the projector. He began sweeping the floor.

About Ourselves Projects

This project has shown me all the forms that people can use to highlight themselves and their talents. I have learned many different ways to present myself in a creative way. Using these tools will help me in the future when I need to interview for college or jobs. I've learned to present my talents in an interesting way that may get me a step ahead my competition.

3 Tips for TED Speakers

Daniel Pink gives good advice in his article. He understands how to present important ideas in a new way that keeps an audience engaged. He seems to be very experienced when it comes to giving presentations and knows how to say his ideas in a profound way. He talks about how to be prepared and to be yourself when presenting. Pink gives good advice in his article, and will definitely help me with my presentations in the future.

The Facebook Challenge: Day 5

Today is the final day of the project. I'm kind of glad to see it end. I'm ready to return to Facebook and see all I've missed. Of course, I'll have to wait until tomorrow morning, but I've already lasted this long. I've had a Facebook for about a year and a half now. Originally, I didn't want one. A friend convinced me to sign up, but I never fully understood why people find it so much fun and so addictive. Hopefully, I won't waste my entire Saturday on Facebook due to withdrawal. Living without it might have made me appreciate social networking more, but it has also made me appreciate face to face interactions.
It's been a long week, really. The first few days I was fine without Facebook. But these past few days, I've been tempted to log on. My  first instinct when I go online is to open Facebook. That made these past few days a little more difficult. Somehow, I was able to overcome the temptation, and am now only a few hours away from being back on Facebook.

The Facebook Challenge: Day 4

My struggle without Facebook has continued. I am becoming super aware of whenever I mention anything remotely related to Facebook, such as NewsFeed. When I went on the Internet, my automatic instinct was to go on Facebook. At least I'll be able to go on in two days. The experience has been pretty eye opening, actually. I never realized how much the people I know depend on it. Living without it for this past week has really shown me that face to face interactions can be just as much fun, and even more productive. Of course, Saturday morning I'll be back on Facebook right away. Five days is enough for me.

The Facebook Challenge: Day 3

Today I found myself with the urge to go on Facebook. The only thing that kept me off was the changed bookmark title, which gave me a (not so friendly) reminder that I really can't log on. I still have another two days to go with this project, and I'm beginning struggling. I seem to be more aware of the word "Facebook" when it comes into conversation. I can't help but feel like I'm actually missing things; the pictures of all the girls in strange poses looking for attention, the changed relationship statuses, and the funny cinnamon challenge fails. Even just knowing that I'm missing out on something that everyone else is a part of is difficult enough already. On the bright side, the project is more than half way finished. Just another two long days until I can return fully into the world of social networking (because, sometimes, Twitter isn't quite enough).

Facebook Posts Costing Some Students College Opportunity

I think it is wrong for colleges to check applicant's Facebooks for more information on them. Facebook does not always show a clear picture of a person's actions. Many posts and photos can be taken out of context. Checking a Facebook profile tends to negatively impact the applicant's image and chances of the school accepting them. A Facebook profile can also hurt someone applying for a job.
Young people tend to not be aware of the fact that what you post online is out there for the world to see. Many do not understand that their image and reputation can be destroyed because of a single picture or video, or a hacked status update. People of all ages need to learn more about being safe online so they do not hurt themselves in the long run.