My Twitter Experience

Over 500 tweets in, I have had a love/hate relationship with Twitter since spring 2009. Originally, I created an account thanks to encouragement by a friend (@mandibaronas) but grew frustrated - it simply didn't seem to have a purpose to follow people I don't know or care about.

I started my internship at a local full-service agency in June, and from the day I stepped in, it was quite clear that social media, especially Twitter, presented great opportunities in the communications world. For my own use as a public relations student, I find it fascinating to connect with people I never would have, had it not been for the site. For instance, I can follow CEOs of major companies to see their innovation in social media (@zappos is one of my favorites), professors from Marquette and other schools to get their insights on the field, athletes and celebrities to get a glimpse into their everyday lives, and people that I do know through my daily life.

The most difficult thing for me to grasp when I first started using Twitter was the difference between this site and Facebook. Many in Twitterville poke jokes at Facebook, asking why we would care that Jenny is taking a nap, or Chris just found his lost sneakers. In my own opinion, I compare and contrast the two like this: Facebook is saying what you ate for dinner. Twitter is sharing the recipe.

The community sense of Twitter is overwhelming, as I have found in my first year using the site, and people truly enjoy sharing and retweeting (RT) interesting articles, links and thoughts. One of the biggest challenges - yet in my opinion is one of Twitter's biggest strengths - is the 140 character limit: this forces you to be succinct, clear and concise while still sharing a message.

This assignment to tweet twice daily for two weeks, including responses to classmates and retweets of insightful thoughts, was not a challenge for me since I tweet multiple times a day, but gave me a greater understanding of the universe run by Bluebird, and devastated by the fail whale.

My One Year Twitter Anniversary

As a fairly active Twitter user (paigemichele), I did not have any problem tweeting for class. And to evaluate my past two weeks on Twitter, I decided to go about it from a third party stance. I found an article on Twitter etiquette by Fast Company, a magazine dedicated to entrepreneurs written by blogger/ PR agency CEO Norman Birnbach. There are tons of articles on Twitterquette but I felt Birnbach's really encompassed a wide variety of Twitter topics.

Read Birnbach's article here.

Where I dropped the ball was number 8.1 "Do not use 'I am.'"
I am finally reading the @mutribune and excited to see they printed Baucus' name... yes I am a nerd
I am wearing my favorite pashmina in hopes it will brighten my day
Tweets are supposed to answer the question "What are you doing," and Birnbach believes its a given that you are doing something, hence no need to say "I am." I understand where he is coming from, but out of normal conversational English, most people would start their sentences with this phrase.

I am happy to say that according to these 10 rules, I did excelled at 6. quality over quantity(A great team RT @MUSG: off-campus Senators are Bill Doerrer, Kate Gregory, Kevin Lefeber, Carly Nusser, & Holly Peterson) , 7. interesting links (Question would you pay a tax on pop? @adage American Beverage Association Launches Campaign Against Soda Tax: ttp://bit.ly/2mSDRR) and number 4. stream of consciousness tweets (most of the time).

I am closing in on my one year anniversary of my Twitter account and have passed my 1,000 tweet while sitting in Gee's class. It has been a long year and my motives for Twitter have changed from testing it out, to using it for news sources and finally using it to search for a job. I am a Twitteraholic, but I did not start that way. I have learned two things from Twitter that I would like to share.
1. It takes time to adjust your Twitter account to what you want to see come of it.
2. "Facebook is where I connect with people I know, Twitter is where connect with people I want to know." ( I stole this from different tweets)

to tweet or not to tweet

After using Twitter for two weeks it was say for me to figure that I am not a big fan. I am a big Facebook user and using Twitter bored me in a few minutes.I was very surprise to see that a lot of celibrity use Twitter all day long.

I was also very suprised to see that Twitter is huge here and it doesnt have the same success in France. People dont tweet. I guess we are just Facebook users more than anything, but Twitter is not the only social media which didn't get thru in France.

Twitter

Honestly, I have never considered joinging Twitter and probably would not have if not for this class. Twitter did not capture my attention because I saw it as an extension of the over-used "Facebook Status". My two weeks of using Twitter has confirmed my belief that the site is not for me, well at least as of now. Throughout the process I felt as if I was forcing myself to speak to the world about things that were of general concern.

However, overall Twitter has its place in social media. Throughtout my two week trial I discovered that alot of celebrities and organizations use Twitter. I feel that Twitter is best for people with an established fan base. Popularity is the basis of Twitter. As seen with the trends, only the most talked about topics will appear on the main page. Most times the popular topics deal with celebrities from other social media.

I believe that ordinary people, such as myself, should not have a Twitter page without a set goal of professional networking or promoting some cause/event. I do not think other reasons such as social networking or gossip are sufficient enough to get the most out of the Twitter experience.

Twitter Experience

After tweeting for two weeks, I have learned a lot about the importance of social media in our society. It is not a fad, but a revolution that is here to stay. Soon I will be graduating and I know that this experience with twitter will be beneficial. I was very skeptical at first and didn't see the point of twitter, but now have a new appreciation.

I liked that tweets got to the point right away. Only using 140 characters guaranteed that the update would be fast and concise. I enjoyed reading what others had to say and found out about interesting articles through many classmates tweets. I also liked how I was able to express myself and update the twitter world what I was doing.

However, I didn't like that we were forced to tweet twice a day. Sometimes I would forget or have nothing to say. I also didn't like that we had to tweet to other classmates twice a day. I would have preferred to have to tweet to anyone twice a day. Twitter is not as addictive as other social media's, like Facebook. I would only go on for 5 minutes tops before I got bored.

I hope to continue to tweet as much as I can and look forward to the continuous success of social media.

My Twitter Experience

I had been Tweeting before we had to do it for our class. The reason why I started was because to inform my residents of happenings around campus. I am a RA here on campus. As RAs, we are given tons of posters that we are supposed to post on our floor. However, living in McCormick, the lifespan of such a poster is very short. So I looked for a more permanent solution, and that was Twitter. Honestly though, I have yet to use it for that purpose.

I really enjoy Twitter. I think it is a fun experience. I know there are those who do not like it, and don't see the point and that is fine, but for me it offers a lot. Twitter is where I find a lot of my news stories, cause The New York Times and the BBC are constantly updating and providing up to the minute stories. I can follow my favorite soccer team and see who is injured this week, or who they are playing. I can follow the likes of Cathy Horyn WWD and Joe Zee who know the happenings of the fashion world and share their experiences.

I like the constant feedback of Twitter. I like the pace of response for Twitter. I like that I can follow anyone and gather information that I find interesting and useful.

twitter!

Well, I never though I would "tweet." I tended to make fun of the people who were obsessed with it. I actually did however, have an account prior to this class. My mom and I did not understand why celebrities were all on twitter so I signed up. I had NO idea how to use it so I immediately thought, "this is dumb," and never went back. Then I signed up for Gee's PR Writing class. When I first started hearing about all my teachers talking that twitter is a big thing, I was so confused. I was like twitter for business really? But it definitely makes sense. After using it more often than ever before (although at times I lacked on the daily post due to my forgetful mind and bad internet connection!). I found this once very odd yet interesting concept very useful. I was able to go and check out current happenings by adding things like Marquette and Big Shoes Network. I never saw such a communicative and interactive network until this. It is amazing the things that can be spread on there. Nobody needs to pick up a telephone or even email anymore! I really discovered the benefits of being on twitter. Although I am unsure of how much I will use it for personal use, I definitely see a Twitter for business in my future. But I would not post things that are too personal like that one business professional that tweeted about her miscarriage! That kind of stuff is crazy which is how I feel alot of people are on Facebook; too personal and too open. But for a business aspect, Twitter is fabulous. I am excited to embark on more of the Twitter craze!

The Perceived Chaos of Twitter

After using Twitter more agressively for about two weeks, I now have a better understanding of the uses of Twitter. Before this assignment, I did not see much of a purpose for Twitter. Especially since a lot of people tweet silly information like what they ate for breakfast or that they just brushed their teeth!...I realized that everyone can create their own purpose for Twitter based on who they follow and how they tweet. I decided that my main purpose was going to be to gain knowledge about my chosen field: Public Relations. I also vowed that my tweets would never be about the food I just ate.

I am currently following academic and professional people based on guidance from my professor. I also found organizations and people by searching for topics I was interested in learning about or being updated about. Some examples of these include student organizations like @musg and @marquetteprssa, as well as professional organizations such as @prsa and @bigshoesnetwork. I also follow local news stations/papers to get information on the latest events in Milwaukee.

Some helpful tweets I came across during this experience include:
-Work force going gray due to current state of economy http://ow.ly/15RWwE
-Taking Risks to Boost Your Career http://bit.ly/QdLd
-Resume writing tips! http://jobsearch.about.com/...
-Check this out students: cover letter tips! http://bit.ly/14Q98o

And, tweets of pure entertainment:
-21 Funny Twitter Pick-Up Lines http://j.mp/35T9B
-http://www.nytimes.com/2009... Job plan # 2.

Overall, this assignment was really interesting. I feel as though the chaotic world that I initially viewed Twitter to be is actually more insightful than I realized...

Twitter: Small Talk with Big Possibilities

I've occupied my space in the Twittersphere for several months.  My account, smart_blonde, was born out of boredom and curiosity on a homebound December day.  While my initial microposts were nothing but standard status updates, I quickly realized this short-spoken virtual world had much more to offer.  I began following major PR and fashion influencers and haven't looked back since.

I now use Twitter on a daily basis and have just over 500 followers.  I enjoy building relationships with interesting characters and contributing to exciting conversations.  Because I've mastered Twitspeak and am familiar with many Twitter applications, I am often pulled into social media projects at Cramer-Krasselt (the ADPR agency where I work).

Twitter has also helped me leverage a presence in the fashion industry.  I began posting my online fashion column, A's List, to Twitter every week.  While originally written solely for the Marquette community, my column is now read by Tweeps across the country and even (thanks to the ADPR 4600 Keypal project) across the globe.  I receive comments and questions every day from fashion-conscious individuals and have even been asked to endorse events by shopping brands such as ideeli.com.

In my opinion, Twitter is essential to building a personal brand.  I'm glad that Twitter is being integrated into Marquette's PR classes.  It may not be around forever, but right now, Twitter is the most powerful image-booster in existence.  As PR students and future practitioners, we'd be foolish to ignore it!

Twitter, not too shabby

So the Twitter project is over and while I’m still not the biggest fan of Twitter, I see it’s relevance. Before class, I refused to get a twitter. I rarely update my facebook status and knew twitter would be the same. Who cares what I have to say in 140 characters? No one is going to read it, or reply to it. I soon realized though, that Twitter is not so much about me sharing my day as it is about sharing mass quantities of information.

At first it was confusing. What does # mean? Why do I have to put an @ sign in front of people I want to talk to? What is RT? How do I follow people, and what does it mean when people follow me? I felt like Twitter was a whole new language that I would never understand.

After using it every day for class, I started to get the hang of it. Not only did I slowly start to understand the lingo, but I realized I could follow whoever and whatever I wanted. One of the first sources I followed was CNN and the Journal Sentinel. I like reading the paper but as a college student, I don’t have time anymore. Following news sources on Twitter game me the latest headlines at my fingertips. I didn’t have to search for anything. Next I started to follow important people at Marquette and organizations that I’m interested in working for some day. While following Sheena Carey, I was able to gain access to information about internships I may not have found out about on my own. I also started following certain celebrities, just for fun, like Stephen Colbert. His tweets are always good for a laugh.

I guess Twitter isn’t too bad. Now that the project’s over, I doubt I’ll update my status as much, but I’ll still use Twitter. I can learn more about multiple topics in just a few minutes, than if I spent hours surfing the web. That in itself is reason enough to keep logging on.

Twitter Experience

I never thought of making a Twitter account until we were assigned to Twitter for class. The only things I knew about Twitter was that a lot of celebrities utilized the social media site and that it was a lot like Facebook status updates. For this assignment, we were required to create a Twitter account and then Tweet four times a day. Two of the Tweets were required to be in response to something that one of our classmates had posted.

I really liked this assignment, because it forced me to learn the essentials of Twitter. In the job market today, social media skills are becoming a huge asset that employers are looking for. It will be nice to have this background knowledge when looking for jobs that require some sort of social media skills. I think it is a very helpful resource for getting updates on job searches, intern searches, news updates and special interest topics.

I don’t know if I am going to use Twitter in the very near future, because I felt as though the things I was “Tweeting” weren’t extremely important or substantial. Maybe if I worked for an organization or was extremely involved or passionate about a cause I would find it beneficial. Just for day-to-day things though, I don’t know if I would utilize this site. I did enjoying following some of my favorite celebrities and organizations though.

The Overtaking of Social Media, Twitter is the New Thing

I may sound a bit old-fashioned when I express my frustration towards this new media that is taking over classical personal communication, but I can't help but feel overwhelmed by those who can 'tweet' more than I check my Facebook page (which is more than regularly). I joined Twitter a little short of a year ago, and I must admit that my original intentions were to follow what several speakers and professors urged on me in classes and discussions. Everyone's on twitter, so you should be too. I joined, and left it dormant until Rain Pebble's Writing Class this semester when she forced the task of 'tweeting' on a regular basis. I have learned a lot more about the mechanics and details of this new tool, and I will credit the medium as a valuable source, especially for people who are on the go and just want news flashes or updates within reach. I do not doubt Twitter's usefulness to its audience, but the problem lies in the fact that I've already allotted my social media time to Facebook. Getting used to checking Twitter as often as I do Facebook was kind of a hassle, because I felt I needed to provide newsworthy information bites on my Twitter statuses. Through my unwillingness to update my Twitter, however, I did get access to very unique and specialized information about my field through the people I chose to follow, including Big Shoes Network, FVEverything, MediaBistro and MediaPost. For this, I respect this information-sharing venue, but I still can't ignore my slightly cynical views on how everything these days is turning web-driven and online savvy. I can appreciate the way that social media tools-Twitter specifically- globalizes our society. We can attain information within a matter of seconds from people across the globe, and we can have the opportunity to network with respectable sources that would probably have been overlooked otherwise.
Overall, Twitter exemplifies how our news world and information gathering techniques are converting to become more available for everyone. I am slowly jumping on bandwagon for actively using these social media tools because I feel you cannot avoid it. Nearly every professional organization or workplace has shifted to move with the technological shift--- now I suppose I should make the same progress.

Dear Twitter....

Dear Twitter,

How I love thee. You keep me informed of things I never even know existed, direct me to sites I've never seen before, and communicate with all different types of people. I'm currently following people around the country, from my class, friends, groups, you name it. The quality posts left by these people excite me. I can sit and follow these people and their links all day. In fact, last night you distracted me from studying for WAY to long. But man, was I loving you last night. The things I learn about PR, new products, the news, and everyday happenings of people make me feel like part of the loop. I love being able to share things I have seen and heard about or done with my friends. The things you have done for PR are remarkable. Once something is on Twitter, it spreads like wildfire, which is usually good for us PR folk. You amaze me with the power you have over our lives. You are able to suck us in, convincing us to constantly check for updates from our favorite Tweeters. Most of the time I don't get why you work so well, how people have time to Tweet so much, posting such interactive Tweets, but its better to not ask questions in situations like these. Please don't stop amazing me. With me, you, and the rest of the world together, I know we can do great things.

Love Jenny.


Dear Twitter,
Oh how I hate you. Who has time to constantly check Twitter for updates and links. I have so many other things to do, but for some reason you think it's important for me to hang out with you for hours on end. It's like I can't get away from you. Everyone who's anyone has a Twitter. They want you to know everything they have seen, done, and heard all day, every day. Who cares? I don't want to know what you had breakfast, or that you're sitting in class. Sometimes the Tweets people tweet relating to interesting websites and posts on the internet are good, but then I get sucked in. I end up spending WAY to much time surfing the 'net because of you. You will probably be the reason for my poor test grades this week. Are you going to make it up to me somehow?
To be recognized, to get a job, to sell an idea, I have to have you? What happened to good old face to face contact? What happened to tradition interviews and resumes? What happened to regular word of mouth and email.
I don't want my future boss to have to read about my daily doings. I don't even want to have to read that. Please stop making me feel like I have to be a part of you. I want out of this relationship but you are making it very hard. Maybe someday we can be friends, but not just yet.

Jenny.

"THEE" New Way to Communicate

Twitter. Nowadays, it seems as if you can't go through a day or even an hour without somebody mentioning this new way of communication. From who people are "following" or what people are "tweeting" about, twitter is a useful new sensation that is sure to stick around.

Ever since I began to tweet, I found that my means of communication has become faster and more efficient. I can get in touch with people by a simple click of a button. I can ask quick questions to a broad public instead of e-mailing a question to just one person. I can voice my opinion and share different information that I find interesting or important with others.

My horizons have also been broadened through my use of twitter, and it has been easier for me to network. Through twitter, I have found people and companies that I am now following that list different public relations internships that I can apply for. I have also been able to find out information about the field of public relations through others' tweets and posts.

Overall, I have found twitter to be a very effective and beneficial tool. I believe that the more I use and learn about twitter, the more useful of a tool it will become. The world of communications is changing with the technological advancements, it is our duty to keep up!

My Twitter Experience...So Far

I LOVE Twitter. When I first got Twitter last semester I hated it, and I deactivated my account after only 3 hours. (True story, ask Paige! haha.) BUT, now that I have started using Twitter more frequently I have come to value the benefits that it brings.

The first benefit that I have experienced from using Twitter is staying in contact with my friends throughout the day. Sending a quick tweet to a friend takes just a few seconds, and it's very easy to reach many people in a short amount of time. Part of this positive experience has been having the convenience of having twitter on my phone. Now I can send my friends a message when I'm on the go.

I have also used Twitter to tweet my thoughts, ideas and complaints. I am a big fan of quotes (especially Story People) and I tweet them frequently. The quotes I tweet usually reflect my mood. I also find myself complaining on Twitter. Haha. Just today I tweeted to @MarquetteU about construction noise in my classroom and they responded to me wanting to know where my classroom was. This could mean good (or bad) news for customer service! A friend of mine tweeted about her cable not working and the lack of response from the company. They contacted her after seeing her tweet and fixed the problem that day!

I love Twitter!

Twitter!

The class Twitter assignment taught me a lot about the many uses of social media. People may assume that social media outlets, like Facebookor Twitter, are simply fads used by the younger generation to keep in touch or share stories, etc. This assignment really opened my eyes, though, and now it's clear that social media tools can be used for much more. From spreading the word about fashion blogs to learning about internships to following your favorite sports figure, Twitter allows people to keep up with news and sports and just about anything or anyone else you can think of.

I found it difficult to make time to Tweet essentially four times a day. I mean, I'm a student and I'm swamped, so I'm impressed by all those who are able to keep on top of things. And, "expert tweeters," all those people who really make connections and grab attention with Twitter, are even more impressive. Plus, given the limited number of characters (140- that's less than a text!), you really need to make what you say count for something.

I think what most people don't realize is that sites like these are probably here to stay. Social media is not a fad. It's amazing that people can troll for jobs or promote a company on Twitter, but it's happening! Now that I'm more aware of these benefits it will be easier to use them to my advantage. I look forward to seeing where Twitter will take us!

2nd Time Is The Charm

Last semester I took Gee's social media class, this is where I was first introduced to twitter. Although I completed the assignment, I still wasn't totally sold on the idea. I understood the concept and the draw to it, but I didn't really see my place in the whole network.

Now,my second time around I am finally feeling comfortable in the twittersphere. Not only am I following the people Gee recommended but I am also following some other interesting people and celebrities. A majority of the people I follow and actually read their tweets,are those tied to the fashion industry in some way. Both Betsey Johnson and Diane Von Furstenburg (two of my favorite designers) have twitter accounts. I love seeing what their up to, and I especially get excited when they use twitpic, and show where they are, or what they are currently working on.

Besides the people I follow for pure enjoyment, I also follow those who focus specifically on internships and the job market. I am working on getting an internship for second semester and all the tweets about openings and applications has really been great.

Finally I feel comfortable posting and take part in the social media forum. I've learned from the posts that I enjoy reading, about how to post and write in ways that will be informational and entertaining for my followers. I will continue to work on my presence on twitter, and hopefully gain even more understanding and knowledge as my tweets continue.

Link to Jessie Mahne's Twitter experience

TWITTER TRACKER!!!

The Twitter Experience

In my Advertising/Public Relations Writing class we were assigned to create a Twitter account and update it twice daily as well as respond to one of our classmates updates once per day. This was to take place for two weeks and then we would write a brief response to the activity. So here it is..:

As I type we are sitting in class talking about Twitter. Twitter this Twitter that... I am so over Twitter. There is almost nothing about twitter that I find remotely enticing. I do like the fact that I can be updated with real-time news. It is one of the only things that I find beneficial.

I do not like the idea that social media networks are taking away from people's real life experiences. The days of going for walks or meeting friends for face to face discussions are over. Though many may argue that you can have this same interaction through online forums, like Twitter for example, I still believe something is inherently missing online.

I enjoyed becoming aware of the "Twitter world." I never want to fall to a place where I am unaware of the venues of communication available. I enjoy learning advances in social media and hope to continue learning. I do not think that two weeks was enough time to convince a disbeliever, like myself, that Twitter has value. Because of this, I am going to continue using and learning from Twitter. Who knows, maybe in a few more weeks I will be praising Twitter... I will keep my mind open for now.

-Robin Hanke

Ellie's Twitter Experience

Twitter Experience

I have had a twitter account since March of 2009, but never really saw the "amazingness" of it or used it regularly. This class assignment forced me to go onto the site and actually comment/reply on others and update my tweets regularly, which was actually really fun and allowed me to learn a lot about different people and industries who I was following. I thought this experience was very helpful for me and was a great tool to learn about various happenings in society.

I think that even after the assignment I will continue going onto Twitter and tweeting a lot more than I had before this assignment, because I am actually excited about sharing my experiences but also learning things happening at Marquette, in Wisconsin, in the United States and even the world. I think I will primarily continue to use Twitter as a news tool to help enlighten me about things going on in society. Overall, this helped me see Twitter in a new light as a great news tool and also helped me share experiences and stories that I found worthwhile.

Tom's Twitter Experience

My opinion of Twitter would make me a great Texas Tech football player. Social media makes me feel like personal privacy is becoming less and less a social norm. Constantly bombarded by new ways to connect to others, quiet reflection is a thing of the past unless it is scheduled into my schedule.

I was asked to Twitter for my ADPR3600 class twice a day for two weeks. Talk about difficult- I don't typically go online for things other than homework.

I am not a fan of social media - in fact, I think I may be in the minority of public relations people who think that social media, in its current format, is on its way out. This isn't to say that social media is dying. Au contraire, social media is evolving. Facebook and Twitter are just the start.

Twittering twice a day for two weeks was tough for me. Nonetheless, I did actually learn a lot about Twitter and I enjoyed my experience connecting to what my friends were doing. It was kind of cool to see what people had to say and especially to keep up with my friends who I don't see very often.

Twitter is huge.

Twitter is mainstream.

Twitter is what companies want.

Twitter is still growing.

Twitter connects millions.

Twitter is the new buzz word.

Twitter will ruin us.

At the end of the day, I think Mike Leach has it right. Twitter is for people who want attention. Narcissism at its finest. Welcome to the 21st century, where the comeback player of the year is Narcissus. Ashton Kutcher's self-image depends on how many Twitter followers he has. Call me Socratic (please, I would take it as a compliment), but I prefer to define my self image through reflection.

Twitter, Tweeting, Tweets, Tweetworks...

When Gee told my class that we were required to create (and actively use) a Twitter account for a grade, I laughed a little to myself. Twitter for a grade? I neve even liked the idea of Twitter. To me, it seemed like a bunch of celebrity obsessed people getting on it to "follow" their favorite celebs as if they were part of the celebrity world by doing so. Needless to say, I did NOT have Twitter account before Gee's class.

I made the account and sort of wondered how this would be useful in the working world. I have seen news blips about Twitter being the next big thing in companies, but I honestly thought it was probably a fad. All I had ever heard about Twitter was about celebrities' tweets and that it was pretty much Facebook status updates. How could knowing what someone was doing ALL the time possibly be useful to me?

Once I became familar with Twitter, I saw how it CAN be a useful networking tool. I don't follow any celebrities, and my status updates are usually something a little worth while. I'll post links to CNN articles or what's going on around campus. I get updates from MUTribune, CNN, JodiPicoultFans, LSUbuzz, BNN (Breaking news now), etc. I've chosen to limit who can folllow me and what they can see. I don't care about what a celebrity, or their publicist rather, is doing during the day so I choose to follow sites that interest me. Some of the tweets I follow have postings for jobs, tips on building resumes and what do after graduation. These things can be useful, and as silly as it may sound -tweeting back to these tweets could help post my resume and score an interview.

I also didn't think that Twitter was as important in the corporate world as Gee had made it sound. I figured some companies, depending on their target audience, used Twitter but that it wasn't that big of deal. PRSSA's first meeting dealt with "What's the Real World Really Like?" and we got to hear from three different speakers. One of the speakers, Megan Fischer, mentioned that she screens people's Twitter and Facebook and that she uses Twitter multiple times a day not for personal use - but for her company. The amount of times she refrenced Twitter was kind of shocking, but then I realized that Gee was right, this IS PR for the 21st century.

Twitter: A Whole New World

On September 15th, 2009, I joined Twitter against my better judgment. Before that time, I was entirely against all things having to do with "tweets" and "micro blogging" status updates. I feared another social media site that turned out to be just a venting outlet for melodramatic teenagers, and the last thing I needed was another reason to constantly be on my computer. And if all those reasons weren't enough to keep me from joining, I thought the name was stupid.

Boy, was I surprised.

It's totally cliche, but Twitter opened up a whole new world to me. Initially, I was hesitant about what to tweet about, who to follow, and what exactly constituted Twitter etiquette. I thought the assignment would be a long, dreadful two weeks of wracking my brain trying to come up with something to say about my day, but it turned out to be far more educational. I was incredibly surprised to find tweets with links of various topics that I not only wanted to learn more about, but that I needed to learn about. I found more information on Twitter about job interviews, internships, local events, sports news, entertainment news, and University happenings than I ever could have by just Google-ing what I was looking for. Twitter turned out to be a remarkable source of information that kept falling at my fingertips, and I didn't even have to go looking!

Most importantly, I believe that I now understand why experts say Twitter is here to say. The professional, quality information is mixed with enough pizzazz and personality to make this social media site extremely useful, informative, and fun. I learned more than I ever thought possible from Twitter, and I don't think I would have ever understood any of it without the experience.