A New Beginning

As a communications student at Oklahoma State University, I have been told over and over about social networking and the importance of Web 2.0. Sadly, I have not learned any of this knowledge from a class or a professor. My knowledge has come from real-world experience. At an internship this summer, I learned all about Twitter, RSS Readers, Linked In, podcasting and blogging. This was all great information, but I didn't do anything with it.

Now I have another internship, and I attended a seminar yesterday about social networking. Some of the information I learned was a review from the summer, but I also learned about Second Life. It is interesting to me that businesses talk about the importance of social networking, but it is not mentioned in my classes. I will enter the workforce as a "real adult" in May. Thank goodness my internship experiences have taught me how people are recruiting for the real world!

Remember to keep your social networking tools professional and clean. They represent you and are nearly permanent. Whatever is on your site could be public knowledge. Check privacy settings to maintain who can and cannot view your information.

This semester, I hope to develop my social networking skills and help my friends and family wade through the deep waters of Web 2.0. I'll keep everyone up-to-date on my life, my internships and my new knowledge. After all, aren't we all in college to gain knowledge?