What if we sometimes just explore social media just for the sake of curiosity, just for fun? Sometimes, I get tired having to examine social media in the context of my profession as an IT staff in higher education.  Sometimes, I get tired of having to think about policies and why we should/should not be using social media and having to deal with those that just see social media as a threat to our institutions. I think some of those resistances come because of the fear of the unknown and the fear of being left behind and so instead of accepting change, some folks resist to slow down change to match their comfort level.   Sometimes, I get tired of thinking about metrics and strategies and guidelines.

I enjoy spending hours on social media each day because it’s very fascinating to me. Many have written and spoken about the idea that social media is not just about technology and I agree. I like connecting with people and I like learning, a lot. I go on twitter and it’s like a candy store to my brain. I find tweets, blog posts, status updates, photos and videos that take me to learning something new for days, meeting new people and reconnecting with old friends. Some things I come across challenge me and some validate my thoughts.   I like to observe the interpersonal dynamics that go on between individuals based on their tweets, their conversations and even in what may consider “communities” based on hashtags or common interests. I like thinking about the possibilities brought on by social media, both good and bad.

I think sometimes we just need to stop over analyzing what social media means and trying to convince others to think the same way we do.  Social media means different things to all of us. Let’s just enjoy it from time to time.

 

 

image credit: http://www.pittimmagine.com/en/corporate/news/2011/tobiasroettger.html