Facebook runs relationships?

As of today, over 6 billion people live in the world. Of those people, 600 million of them have accounts on the ever so popular Facebook.

Facebook seems to be everywhere; from the movies to individual laptops. People can see and read just about everything users put onto the social networking site. The one aspect that most users seem to worry about now is the relationship status, and Facebook is taking measures to ensure that users can accurately describe their relationships.

On Feb. 18, according to CNN, Facebook took new measures and added civil union and domestic partnership as choices for one’s relationship status.

What exactly are civil union and domestic partnerships? A civil union is a legally recognized and voluntary union of adult parties of the same sex, while a domestic partnership is a committed relationship between two people who live together but are unmarried.

Therefore users have a myriad of choices to choose from in the relationship status department. However, as simple as confirming a relationship on Facebook is, this action can lead to feelings of jealously if a user does not already trust their partner.

“Facebook brings a whole new level of jealously and immaturity available for those who aren’t already mature in a relationship,” senior Samantha Renfro said.

Comments left from exes and users of the opposite sex can cause rage in a relationship. Thoughts of “what could be happening” seem to be the answer to the “What’s on your mind?” box. “It will show infidelity in relationships,” senior Jimmie Walker said.

Instead of meeting people the old-fashioned way, teenagers and adults can find out all about a person through what they post on Facebook. Date night out might be ruined because of the need to update your status.

“I think kids tell too much information. They post pictures and messages that they can never erase,” Prevention Counselor Shankia Moore said.

Of course we’re teenagers, we text all day but texting is more private, whereas social networking becomes public says The Prevention Researcher. Relationships are put out into the open and friendships are lost because of words left in comments on status updates.

According to estestherapy.com, Facebook isn’t the problem…it is the relationship dynamics and our human reactions that get in the way.

As heartbreaking as a breakup is, everyone knows that the couple that was meant to be is no longer together. Jealous exes might see this as a chance to rekindle what was once there.

Facebook founder and CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, shared these words in an article he posted on The Washington Post,”Facebook has evolved from a simple dorm-room project to a global social network connecting millions of people. We will keep building, we will keep listening and we will continue to have a dialogue with everyone who cares enough about Facebook to share their ideas. And we will keep focused on achieving our mission of giving people the power to share and making the world more open and connected.”

Game, set, match!

The boys’ and girls’ tennis teams have had great seasons this year with seniors Kristen Groninger and Michella Douglas, and junior Jimmie Walker remaining undefeated all season. The girls participated in their district championship match on Thursday, May 6, and the team has multiple players from both teams that will be participating in the district individual tournament.

Walker and Groninger take place as the top players in the boys’ and girls’ individual tournaments, and the team of Douglas and junior Krysani Hogg take top seed in the girls’ double tournament.

The seniors have taken a great leadership role this year in helping the newer players.

“The seniors have been instrumental in the training of the new players,” head coach Brad Kovach said. “Often the seniors will help run drills, offer tips on form and strategy, and serve as positive role models for the underclassmen.”

Although the seniors graduate this year, a number of players seem ready and able to step into the leadership role. The team will be needing these players as they get use to a new coach after Kovach leaves Bartlett High School to teach at Cayman International school in the Cayman Islands next school year.

The team has improved much over the course of the season, but this comes across as normal for most tennis players.

“Tennis is one of those sports that can be hard to keep up with in the off-season,” Kovach said. “As a result, the experience players receive during the season is very evident as the season progresses.”

Three girls participated in the state tournament last year, and the team hopes to send a few more this year. Kovach has shown excellent coaching and seems assured that the team will carry on the Panther’s winning tradition into the next season.