Volume 16, Number 7
October 27, 2009



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Social Life 101

aykut karaalioğluWhen you see the headline, don't panic. This is not a new course, this is life. People are social creatures. Everybody wants to be more social and be a part of everything going on in the world. Therefore, we have an individual network. A social network is a structure made of individuals of one or more specific types of interdependency-such as friendship, kinship, financial exchange or similarities in beliefs, knowledge or prestige.

One of the most well-known social networks is Facebook.

When you first hear Facebook, you were so excited to find your old classmates, relatives etc.  You wanted to create your own place on this Web site that included old friends, colleagues and also new friends. It's like a combination of your online-offline life. First, you talked about your lives with old friends, only to realize you don't have much in common anymore.

You need new friends in this social network, but maybe you wouldn't ever see any of them in the real world. Who cares? 

You have a place to be social without having to go anywhere. Thus, you should add more friends, attend more events and join new groups. 

networkingAnother way to connect online is by following people on Twitter and retweet their updates, reply to some interesting tweets. For example, you can search "Bilkent" on Twitter, and find who talks about Bilkent and what's going on here on campus. You can also search other keywords. (follow me also on twitter@aykutkaralioglu)

These steps are just an introduction to Social Networking. You should connect to more social networking places and create your profile. You can find hundreds of social networking areas online which are based on common interest.

For example: You are looking for job or intern. Check Linkedin, Xing and Plaxo. Or you're trying to organize your research. Use Marro.ws.

Everybody has a place in social networking site. You'll find exactly what you're looking for online.

BY AYKUT KARAALİOĞLU (IR/III)
karaalioglu@ug.bilkent.edu.tr

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