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I've been out of undergrad for a few years now, and I don't have an active Facebook account. But with all these "[insert name of LS] Class of 2013" Facebook groups being promoted by the schools themselves, I'm starting to wonder if it's pretty much seen as a given that everyone has one at this point. Would not being on Facebook put someone at a disadvantage (either for networking or social life)?

facebook is useful for learning information about people you are acquaintances with and keeping in touch with people you haven't seen in a while if you want to get ahold of them.

Facebook can be useful if you need to contact multiple classmates at once (ex: ask for a reading assignment or notes). Also, it's how many social events are advertised. If you choose not to have an account, you won't be at a huge disadvantage. Still, I would recommend signing up. It's an easy way to stay in contact with your classmates, and it will only take a few minutes to set up.

I'd recommend it, too. (And I, like you, had been out of school for a few years before coming to LS.)

Two reasons I'd argue in favor of FB:
1. If you're not on it, there will be social events that you will not hear about otherwise. Many people have turned to FB exclusively to announce parties, etc.
2. You can use it to get to know people.

Even though many people's facebook messages are little more than "Reading for Crim Law. Bored." or "So excited! Going out with Sarah!" you do get to know people you otherwise wouldn't, and you can find out what people share your sense of humor/interests/tastes/... I've made some friends in this way, actually. (Friends of friends, originally, whom I only got to know better through FB.)

Be aware though that many people have put FB on their "time waster" list. So just be careful.

Resistance is futile. You will have an account, and you will use it. It's how law students communicate, for all the reasons mentioned above.

No. I never had one, but thought it would be useful for starting law school, or at least before when checking out different schools, apt hunting, etc. So I got one last summer, and I don't think it has been very "important" in law school.

I'm sure others have said what the pros of having one are, primarily the chance to socialize with your peers. But depending on what sector you're interested in, a lot of organizations/employers may be on there as well, so it's a nice chance to network, follow their activities, and demonstrate your interests (say by fanning -is that what it's called? becoming a fan?- of organizations you respect, attending seminars, panels, w.e.). It's a good way to both present yourself should they search for you, as well as to do your research and stay current with them.

Then again, coming from someone who didn't have one for the last 5 or so years, I don't think it makes that much of a difference. Totally your call.

I closed my FB account my senior year of college but then during admission/orientation events people kept saying they would FB me and so I gave in and signed up again. I had it throughout 1L and didn't find it useful and finally this past August I deactivated again. I only ever miss it for stranger stalking purposes but enough of my friends have it that I can just have them look something up.

If you aren't going to be asking around to see what's going on over the weekend, it may be useful, but if you don't plan on being a partier and you are good at getting to know people irl then I don't think you're at any sort of disadvantage by not being on it.

note: putting up your full first and last name can be a bad idea, for privacy (read: job hunt) purposes. since fb keeps making more and more information public by default, you might want to put up a nickname/shortened name and make sure all settings are as private as possible.

jayn3 wrote:note: putting up your full first and last name can be a bad idea, for privacy (read: job hunt) purposes. since fb keeps making more and more information public by default, you might want to put up a nickname/shortened name and make sure all settings are as private as possible.

You can make your account completely unsearchable by everyone except your friends.

I have had my account for about 6 years (whenever it first started) now, and it is pretty much useless except for some social events that are advertised via FB. Most of my friends are from undergrad and I still use it sometimes to see what people are up to post-graduation, but I don't really use it for much else. I still think it's a "fun" thing to have on the side, but not having one won't hurt you in law school.

I signed up for facebook freshman year of UG (04) when it was still college only...never touched it after a month.

Coming back to lawschool I had to pick it up again. Useful for keeping in touch with classmates.

Thanks guys, appreciate the input.

Of course. If you don't have a facebook account, what will you do in class?

TheGreatFish wrote:Of course. If you don't have a facebook account, what will you do in class?

I don't think an account is essential, but you could always try it and delete it if you don't like it.

You'll probably miss out on some parties, because people do seem to prefer to do mass FB invites for events. However, that's not necessarily a bad thing. I stopped going to the mass parties after the first month of school, and my close friends and I now just have smaller get-togethers on the weekends. Don't need FB for that.

FB has been useful to me, more than anything else, to remember names. So it's useful as a networking tool in that respect.

steve_nash wrote:I don't think an account is essential, but you could always try it and delete it if you don't like it.

You'll probably miss out on some parties, because people do seem to prefer to do mass FB invites for events. However, that's not necessarily a bad thing. I stopped going to the mass parties after the first month of school, and my close friends and I now just have smaller get-togethers on the weekends. Don't need FB for that.

FB has been useful to me, more than anything else, to remember names. So it's useful as a networking tool in that respect.

This.

FB makes it easy to network and find people interested in the same things as you (law-related or not). Its also incredibly useful for keeping in contact with people back home if you have moved away.

I would recommend that you establish a FB profile for two reasons:

-it's a way to put out a simple, positive image of yourself that you control
-it is, unfortunately, like having a cell phone...people of a certain age are just assumed to have one

That said, I'm not a fan of social media. I'm one of those curmudgeons that doesn't want to be a part of anyone's mafia, help plow crops on an imaginary farm, or care to know that you are taking a break to take a poo. I just don't.

To avoid being seen as totally square, I have my FB set to email me whenever someone contacts me. That way, I still know when long lost friends find me or where the party is this weekend.

I'm totally anti- the massive data-mining and demography-research scam that is Facebook.

/Guess I am totally square.

eudaimondaimon wrote:I'm totally anti- the massive data-mining and demography-research scam that is Facebook.

/Guess I am totally square.

+1000000000 terabytes of consumer behavioral data.