Original Post: September 08
If you are anything like me, you remember High School with both fond memories and something you WOULD never wish to repeat -- even if you were offered the sum of money it would take to tempt you to do what you never wanted to do!!
I was involved in choir, drama, newspaper, and ASB secretary. I flittered around the edges of a lot of groups but never really found a home base in any of them. Even then, 34 years ago (gasp) I marched to my own drummer.
And when I stop and look at twitter, it reminds me a lot of high school. Especially the groups we had on our campus and perhaps the groups you saw on your campus as well.
There are the CLASS CLOWNS! Always there with a quick wit, something to make you truly LAUGH OUT LOUD. Sometimes you have to think twice before following a link from them! Just when things might be getting serious, usually they will show up with something totally hysterical!
There are the JOCKS. The guys/girls who know it all, play hard, laugh hard, breathe confidence and have a language that they only understood. And they carry on these conversations right in front of you. And even when you laugh, you are never really sure what they were talking about. But you admire them because they just seem to have it (whatever it might be).
There are the DRAMA DIVAS!! Everything revolves around one thought -- them. Everything is HUMONGOUS and WONDERFUL and FANTASTIC!! If they think it is important -- you should think it is important. If they drop a link, they are truly surprised if you don't follow it -- and don't thank them later for it. They can change characters quickly based on circumstances. They bring excitement to the group but often they also bring exhaustion.
There are the REBELS. No matter what you tweet -- they will take the opposing side. They twitter with an aloofness of just throwing out a comment to see if it will stir things up -- and if it does or does not, no matter to them. We are all ignorant anyway (in their eyes) and our ideas won't conflict with theirs at all. They add conversation to the group -- but are also a little frightening at times!
There are the HONOR STUDENTS! They keep on task. Throw out a tweet at times when it is appropriate. Always have the right thing to say -- at the right time. They might get silly at times, but mostly it is all educationally based. For some, their twits are few and far between -- but when they twit, it is worth a check out.
There are the POPULARS! When they post a twit, you enjoy reading it. When they link to a site, you check it out. When they mention a @ by name, you click on the name to follow the conversation. They did nothing to earn this right except have a personality that you wish to enjoy. You feel better just knowing they are on twitter and when they leave twitter, you feel disappointment because you might not see them as much.
There are the LONERS! You know they are on twitter but you have to look hard to find them at times. They might drop out for hours, weeks, or days -- even months at a time without any notice and then wander back in -- just as unnoticed. But they are observing everything and missing nothing......and often their thoughts of the overlooked will show up in a blog post or a conversation at a conference. They don't need twitter, but they see twitter as something to keep an eye on.
There are the GEEKS! A totally different viewpoint of the world and a "it is okay you don't understand me, I understand and that is okay" attitude. If you need help, they are there with a quick fix. If you are stumped, they have an answer (and it usually is right!) They might post something totally weird -- but it will make sense to them and all the other geeks!! Don't try to figure it out -- they have moved on.
Personally, I wander in and out of these groups at times. Sometimes I just like to observe twitter and stand apart from it all, other times I can be the drama diva or the honor student or the class clown.
I don't mean to cast labels and this blog post has no documentation other than my observations -- so you are free to totally agree or disagree as you see fit. I just find it interesting to watch High School repeat itself sometimes online in Twitter.
Feel free to add your ideas!
Jen
If you are anything like me, you remember High School with both fond memories and something you WOULD never wish to repeat -- even if you were offered the sum of money it would take to tempt you to do what you never wanted to do!!
I was involved in choir, drama, newspaper, and ASB secretary. I flittered around the edges of a lot of groups but never really found a home base in any of them. Even then, 34 years ago (gasp) I marched to my own drummer.
And when I stop and look at twitter, it reminds me a lot of high school. Especially the groups we had on our campus and perhaps the groups you saw on your campus as well.
There are the CLASS CLOWNS! Always there with a quick wit, something to make you truly LAUGH OUT LOUD. Sometimes you have to think twice before following a link from them! Just when things might be getting serious, usually they will show up with something totally hysterical!
There are the JOCKS. The guys/girls who know it all, play hard, laugh hard, breathe confidence and have a language that they only understood. And they carry on these conversations right in front of you. And even when you laugh, you are never really sure what they were talking about. But you admire them because they just seem to have it (whatever it might be).
There are the DRAMA DIVAS!! Everything revolves around one thought -- them. Everything is HUMONGOUS and WONDERFUL and FANTASTIC!! If they think it is important -- you should think it is important. If they drop a link, they are truly surprised if you don't follow it -- and don't thank them later for it. They can change characters quickly based on circumstances. They bring excitement to the group but often they also bring exhaustion.
There are the REBELS. No matter what you tweet -- they will take the opposing side. They twitter with an aloofness of just throwing out a comment to see if it will stir things up -- and if it does or does not, no matter to them. We are all ignorant anyway (in their eyes) and our ideas won't conflict with theirs at all. They add conversation to the group -- but are also a little frightening at times!
There are the HONOR STUDENTS! They keep on task. Throw out a tweet at times when it is appropriate. Always have the right thing to say -- at the right time. They might get silly at times, but mostly it is all educationally based. For some, their twits are few and far between -- but when they twit, it is worth a check out.
There are the POPULARS! When they post a twit, you enjoy reading it. When they link to a site, you check it out. When they mention a @ by name, you click on the name to follow the conversation. They did nothing to earn this right except have a personality that you wish to enjoy. You feel better just knowing they are on twitter and when they leave twitter, you feel disappointment because you might not see them as much.
There are the LONERS! You know they are on twitter but you have to look hard to find them at times. They might drop out for hours, weeks, or days -- even months at a time without any notice and then wander back in -- just as unnoticed. But they are observing everything and missing nothing......and often their thoughts of the overlooked will show up in a blog post or a conversation at a conference. They don't need twitter, but they see twitter as something to keep an eye on.
There are the GEEKS! A totally different viewpoint of the world and a "it is okay you don't understand me, I understand and that is okay" attitude. If you need help, they are there with a quick fix. If you are stumped, they have an answer (and it usually is right!) They might post something totally weird -- but it will make sense to them and all the other geeks!! Don't try to figure it out -- they have moved on.
Personally, I wander in and out of these groups at times. Sometimes I just like to observe twitter and stand apart from it all, other times I can be the drama diva or the honor student or the class clown.
I don't mean to cast labels and this blog post has no documentation other than my observations -- so you are free to totally agree or disagree as you see fit. I just find it interesting to watch High School repeat itself sometimes online in Twitter.
Feel free to add your ideas!
Jen