Girls, don’t deny it; I’ve been guilty too. At one point or another we’ve all spent an unmentionable amount of time poring through a guy’s profile—looking at pictures, seeing if we have mutual friends, following his every move. But, what makes us think that guys aren’t capable of doing the same to us?
Facebook has become super useful in a million different ways: finding a roommate, staying in touch with old friends, promoting an article you’ve written. It is so easy to forget how many people can actually see your Facebook—and just how much you might be sharing on it. Ladies, just like most of us would quickly put up that red flag for a guy’s 95% female friend base, guys are often turned off by some of the things we are unknowingly highlighting on our own profiles. Are you constantly updating your status with play by plays of your life or mushy, gushy song lyrics? Do you get tagged in at least 100 party pictures after every weekend? Have you been sending flirty comments to more than one guy at a time? Watch out! These are all things that might make a guy think twice about getting serious with you. Take a look at the following five vows every girl should take with regards to her Facebook profile.
Vow #1: I will retain a sense of mystery.
Do you really want to cue a guy in to every detail about yourself before you’ve even had the first date? Try not to incessantly over-share information about your day or current emotional state via your status.
How to live by it: Go a full 24 hours without a status update… you can do it, we promise.
Vow #2: I will remain classy not tacky.
Be careful not to allow every picture you are tagged in to feature questionable party behavior. Derek from San Diego State University, Class of 2011 adds, “If I see a bunch of pictures of the girl partying, it makes me think that this is all the girl does. Does she have anything going on in her life besides parties?” While parties are, admittedly, an integral part of the college scene, stay away from too many drink in hand/ revealing attire/ entourage of guys type of picture if you’re looking to give off the impression that you’re in the market for something more.
How to live by it: Grab a guy friend to go through your tagged photos with you; if he says untag, untag!
Vow #3: I will not be stuck in the past.
I know that prom may have been the best night of your life or that you might still be best friends with your ex, but be careful with what you choose as your profile picture or choose to leave in your profile picture album. Too many past high school photos may leave a prospective boyfriend thinking you aren’t serious about the present. Save the adolescent story swapping and photo sharing for a later date and show your guy the mature, multi-faceted college girl that you are.
How to live by it: Make sure your profile picture album has more non-high school pictures in it than high school pictures (unless you just graduated from high school).
Vow #4: Just as I would not date 10 guys at once, I will not conduct public, flirtatious conversations over Facebook with multiple guys at the same time.
As harmless as flirting can sometimes be, the guy that is interested in you does not want to see you sending suggestive smiley faces or inside jokes to a handful of other boys. “Nowadays you can look up anyone on Facebook and if I meet a girl I usually will check her profile out. If I see that a girl is flirting with a lot of guys then I lose interest pretty fast,” agrees Alan from San Diego State University, Class of 2012.
How to live by it: Do your flirting via text… or if you must, Facebook message.
Vow #5: I will have a life outside of my computer.
Are you always getting sucked in to the latest game or quiz craze on Facebook? Fun as they may be, try not to overwhelm your profile (and others’ news feeds) with notifications that you just beat GamePlayer17’s high score in Farmville. Having hobbies and interests is great, but make sure at least some of them take place offline—unless you’re looking for a Second Life boyfriend.
How to live by it: Next time you’re tempted to add another Facebook app, browse your friends’ upcoming Events instead.
So, were you caught red-handed or did you pass with flying colors? No matter how you did today, raise your right hand and swear that in the future you’ll never break these vows! Now login to Facebook… ASAP!
Sources
Derek, San Diego State University, Class of 2011
Alan, San Diego State University, Class of 2012
Other anonymous college guys