I’ve heard this story way too many times: Two people meet online somehow. They exchange contact info, and they fall into a loop of talking to each other all day and night via texts, IMs, and/or phone calls. Maybe they end up meeting in real life, but the vast majority of their communication is virtual. They feel like they’ve really scratched the surface and gotten to know each other on a profound level. Naturally, there’s probably some sexting, maybe even declarations of love. There’s definitely some semblance of a bond there. Then, one person reveals they weren’t nearly as invested as they appeared to be. They have a significant other or they suddenly start becoming a vulgar Twitter flirt, or they just decide to fall off the face of the earth. And then the other person is left hurt, confused and disappointed.

I would never deny how wonderful technology is. It’s awesome that I can easily contact my friends 2000 miles away, that I can quickly shoot a text off to my boyfriend asking him to bring home gummy bears, that I can meet new friends via social media. It has truly enriched the world in a way that I could never properly express. That said, technology can also create a connection that feels deeper than it actually is. The thing about written words is you can attach meaning that isn’t there. It doesn’t help that our language is riddled with hyperbole. That chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream is amazing. That new episode of Parks and Rec was phenomenal. My new skirt gives me life. Of course this hyperbole extends to the way we communicate with each other, and when you’re in that heady honeymoon period of crushing, you don’t realize that “I love you” doesn’t necessarily mean “I love you for all that you truly are” – it actually means something closer to “I love the idea of you that I’ve built up in my head because you’re more of a fantasy and not a real person with real person feelings.”

Technology can warp the way that we relate to each other. It lulls us into opening ourselves up far more quickly than we would in real life, creating an elevated sense of closeness, while conveniently allowing us to mask the worst parts of ourselves and gloss over our flaws.  At the same time, getting swept up in a relationship is more exciting than acknowledging that no one is nearly as perfect as they may try to present themselves. It’s important to approach online relationships with a healthy skepticism. If they flourish into something more substantial and real, that’s awesome. But at their core, they are superficial and barely scrape the surface.

Have you ever been in a virtual relationship? What do you think makes them easier than “real” relationships? Can they be successfully transitioned offline and into the real world?

[Lead image via Andy Dean Photography/Shutterstock]

For many college students around the country, this is one of the last weekends of winter break — which means it’s the last time to have fun and party before the pressures of the school year start again. So what are you going to do to close it out with a bang? If you don’t have any plans yet, you should check out The Weekend Map for your closest city.

The Weekend Map helps you plan your weekend by searching sites like Meetup, Eventbrite, Songkick, Seatgeek, Active and Groupon to provide you with a comprehensive list of events for the upcoming weekend on a map of your chosen city (of 27 cities across the U.S.). The Weekend Map also color-codes them according to popularity, and you can refine the list according to certain parameters, for example, if you’re only interested in one type of event (i.e., concerts, food, sports games, etc.) or only events on a particular night (Friday, Saturday or Sunday).

Underneath the map you’ll find listings of all the events with all the important details, such as date, location and time, as well as a how many people have currently RSVP’d and a link to the event on its host site.

The Weekend Map will come in handy the rest of the year, too! Any weekend during the year when you don’t know what to do, just check it out and you instantly have plans!

When the almighty Facebook was first created, it was intended to be a network devoted to fostering connections with future classmates (and friends) at your future school. Fast forward a few years and Facebook is a melting pot for parents, preteens, companies, celebrities and anything else you can imagine Facebook connecting you to.

Remember when MySpace was cool?  Well, as is often said around the office: MySpace is the poor man’s Facebook. Or if that doesn’t work for you, how about this: MySpace is the pedophile’s Facebook. You might prefer one to the other but both get an A for being equally acceptable judgments. Although MySpace might take the cake for the invention of the duck-beak, kissy-face photos that girls just love to post as their default.

Moral of the story: When Facebook hit the scene, America nixed MySpace quicker than Ronnie could pass on Sammi.

So, what’s next? Since the Facebook takeover was so powerful, who’s going to create the next bigger, better social networking site that sends Facebook to Internet purgatory?

We did a little research and came up with five of the best competitors that’ll have it out with Facebook in the battle for heavy weight champion of the dotcom world.

1. College Only: this social media network hopes to rekindle the original Facebook format (only with a new name and new, genius masterminds) by making its site available to college kids and college kids only. No, mom and your future employers won’t be able to scroll through your photos and find a reason not to hire you.  The only catch is that you have to have a valid university email address.

2. Path: This dotcom draws a path to connect you to your intimate friends and loved ones. You can stay in contact with the people that you choose and post photos that keep your fellow Path-ers up to date on what you’re up to. The site itself restricts you to 50 followers and you only post photos, drastically changing the dynamic of “social” networking. It’s a lot like hieroglyphics… except the 2011 version.

3. Like A Little: I suppose this one takes the stalker out of Facebook stalker. This networking site revolves around the theory that users like to flirt with each other. Well, duh. Like A Little emulated the Facebook messages format so that their users can send personalized messages to all their Internet cuties. Geared directly toward college students, you can search for hotties on your campus or through other schools. Like A Little is definitely the Shy-Guy’s college go to, but will FB beat them to the “Like A LOT” button?

4. Diaspora: Let me introduce Facebook’s biggest competitor, Diaspora. This site’s mantra is “you own your own stuff,” which caught them a lot of airtime after Facebook changed its privacy settings in 2010. The site looks and feels very much like Google+ but it is a more user-controlled environment. Apparently, it’s second in the limelight after Facebook. So in case America’s favorite social network crashes, now you know where to update your status next.

5. Collegiate Nation: Similarly to College Only, Collegiate Nation’s platform is devoted to bringing privacy back to the social networking world. The three hottest components of this website are that there is total privacy (you need to have an @edu email address in order to gain access), no advertisements and user control. So basically, everything you just read about in the four previous competitors Collegiate Nation does all in one place.

While each of these college-based networks bring their own talents to the table, none of them share the global acclaim that Facebook has generated. Since none of these sites have tickled our fancy quite like FB, we’re just going to stick with what works, sorry newbies!

Whether I’m talking on the phone and doing chores at the same time, or chatting on Facebook, doing schoolwork, and watching Glee, I’m always multi-tasking — which is why I like things that make my life easier.

Float helps with that by conveniently putting all my favorite web content all in one place. Now I don’t need to have separate tabs open for Facebook, Twitter, and my favorite blogs and websites.

To start using Float, connect with Facebook and/or Twitter to access those accounts, read news and magazines and discover new content from posts from your friends that are also using Float. Add your favorite websites and blogs to receive content from that onto your page as well.

There’s also a bookmarklet that you can add to your browser’s toolbar, which easily allows you to add content that you come across while browsing the web to your Float account to read later.

Float is also available as a really cool iPhone app, so you can read on the go! Apps for Android and iPad are also coming soon. And the best part is, it’s all free to use!

Thanks to Float, I can now read all my important content quickly and easily — leaving me more time to multitask with everything else I have to do!

1. So… You party

Like most people, you enjoy a nice night out. The question is: How much of your party-animal personality should be reflected in your profile picture? To narrow your choices, rule out any photos with red cups and wasted faces. And, before you upload, ask yourself: What would Mom think of this? If it would make her stomach roll, pick a different one.

2. So… You’re in a relationship

We get it: You’re in love. But as cute as you two are, no one wants to see your personal pictures. Make people say “aw”—not “ew”—when viewing your page. This means no profile pictures of you making out with your boyfriend. Keep bedroom play in the bedroom instead of at your friends’ fingertips.

3. So… You’ve got a banging body

Trust me, people have probably noticed. Unless your main goal is to garner more creepers, be clothed in your profile picture. Leave a little to the imagination by being classy, not trashy. Because let’s face it: Strutting your stuff in a bikini is only appealing for some professions.

4. So… You have Photoshop

Congrats, so do I. But owning the software doesn’t give you the go-ahead to airbrush the shit out of your pictures. The same goes for adding quotes, decorative frames and clipart. You want to be recognizable to people when you meet them in person.

5. So… You own a ____________

We know you love your convertible, beach house, new Nikes, Pomeranian puppy—the list goes on and on. Just remember: No one likes a showoff. Please, stop posting Photo Booth pictures of you and your kitty. As much as you might think everyone cares, they don’t.

…Unless that someone is Google. In 2004 when Facebook was just starting to quietly kill a few Myspace accounts, Google offered to buy it, but was turned down. Their first social networking site, Google Wave, was basically a fail. Fast forward to 2007 when Google decided to try to convince Mark that selling out was the way to go. This rejection was the birth of Google +: the social networking site no one ever saw coming.

So what sets Google + apart from Facebook and Twitter? Well, just like any social networking site, you set up your profile with pictures and interests, but that’s just about the only thing Google + has in common with any other site.

First off, when you provide your interests and hobbies to your profile, Google automatically generates interesting stories and websites (called “Sparks”) completely relevant to what YOU want to see. No more annoying political posts from your conspiracy theorist friend or sports updates from that athlete you hooked up with once. What comes up in your feed is only what you want to see.

With Google +, you can go ahead and add your employer without worrying about your party pics or drunken status updates. The site allows you to create “Circles”- groups of contacts that vary in what content is visible. Therefore, you could put your boss or even potential employers into a “professional” circle, and people you know into your “BFF” circle. This feature eliminates the negative stigma when it comes to mixing social networking with business. Unlike Facebook, Google + actually encourages you to add your boss as a friend.

Once you’ve formed these circles, you can do so much more than just send them a message or post on their profile. “Hangouts” allow you to have massive video chats within a particular circle or between people who have all checked into the same location (kind of like some weird Foursquare crossover). If you’re not up for video chatting, you can also create text chat rooms perfect for when you’re trying to communicate with a bunch of people at the same time.

Aside from all these great features, Google + is clean cut and professional looking. Unlike Facebook, it’s not flooded with ads and the design is very simple. Right now Google + is by invitation only, but I bet you know someone who already has it. Ask around, get your invite, and hop on the next trend in social networking before it becomes “too mainstream.”

Oh, and if you’re willing to take it another few steps further, here are some of the latest tech-y devices you should be in the know about!

initiating the gallery...

[There are over 100 million sites on the Internet. 100 million! You might think you know about all the important ones (CollegeCandy, Gmail, Google, Facebook…), but there are thousands of other sweet sites out there (likeRescueTime, Bake It In a Cake and Jog.FM) and more showing up every day! We get it – it’s not easy or fun sifting through the crap and porn to find those gems, so we’re gonna bring the gems to you. Just sit back, kick up those feet and allow us to introduce you to the diamonds in the internet rough.]

Any of your professors, parents, or alumni friends (or CollegeCandy’s editor!) will tell you that one of the most important things you can do in college to help you get a job after graduation is networking. Establishing solid relationships with your professors, peers, and alumni in your field can lead to opportunities that might not otherwise be open to you.

So you set up accounts on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, and add everyone you meet in order to expand your social network (and hopefully your real-life network, as well). Now, that’s all great, but it means nothing if you don’t maintain those relationships!

And that’s where FellowUp comes in. FellowUp helps you manage all your social networks by putting them all in one place. Simply log in and see what all your connections are up to and send birthday or congratulatory messages. FellowUp helps you make new connections by showing you potential connections and the contacts and interests you have in common.

FellowUp also helps you follow up with connections after a meeting with features such as writing yourself a quick note on the meeting, send a thank you email, and set reminders to follow up with a new contact. It’s like having your very own personal assistant on hand — but it’s free (and takes only a few minutes)!

Even beyond professional networking, FellowUp is great for managing your personal relationship as well — have you ever had a friend get upset that you didn’t wish them a happy birthday on Facebook? A little ridiculous, maybe, but it happens… but FellowUp ensures that it never happens again! Genius!

Pretty cool, eh? Well, there’s plenty more web where that came from. Check out the other sites that are on Laura’s web radar!

But apparently the University of Chicago can. The site first launched a few weeks ago, under the name UChicagoHookups.com, “a place where fun comes to thrive.” But since then, the site has gained more media attention and has been renamed EduHookups.com, allowing students from Northwestern University, Columbia College Chicago, and soon Brown University, to register under a .edu email address, and search for hookups.

More than 300 people have registered for the site and over 1,300 private messages have been sent, but I have to ask, is this really necessary? I mean it’s college. Aren’t we always complaining that there’s nothing but casual hookups in college? Aren’t we saying that it’s difficult to find anything more than that? If that’s the case why do we need a website geared toward this? Isn’t this what bars and house parties are for? Will those become irrelevant now, too, with students no longer even bothering with the fun and the flirting and the cheesy pickup lines? Now we’ll just send people private messages and meet them in the appropriate dorm room?

I’m all about new media, but this seems like a bit much even for me. Is it too much to ask for a good old fashioned house party hookup?

When we think of social media sites, we think of one thing: Facebook. It’s where we post out status updates, where we post our pictures, and where we have obnoxiously long, unnecessary commenting wars with our BFFs. It’s the perfect way to stay in touch, and the perfect way to procrastinate. In our eyes, it’s perfect. (Despite its many, many issues with privacy settings.)

But I’ve got news for you ladies. Facebook is not the only social media site out there. And, no, I’m not just talking about MySpace of Friendster, those sites you haven’t visited since junior high. I’m talking about up and coming, entertaining, totally worth your time, social media sites. These are my top five picks.

1. Twitter. Every girl should be on Twitter. And you don’t even have to Tweet to make it worth your while; you just have to follow. Follow who? Anyone from Charlie Sheen to the New York Times to College Candy! Your home page is constantly updated with little 140 character bits of goodness. From links to the hottest articles to what your favorite celeb ate for breakfast, Twitter has it all. With instantaneous updates!

2. LinkedIn. LinkedIn is like Facebook for adults. Except instead of friends, you have connections. Instead of listing your favorite movies, you list your skills. And your ‘about me’ section sounds more like a cover letter than it does an ad in the personals. But no, in all seriousness, LinkedIn is a great tool for networking. It allows you to create a profile that you want your employers to see, and gives you a way to keep track of all of all the people you know. It’s not only an online resume, it’s also a great way of directing a potential employer’s attention away from an old WebShots album that pops up when when you Google your name.

3. Tumblr. I’m not sure what the exact purpose of Tumblr is, but I know that my dashboard is constantly updated with lots and lots of pretty pictures which I often like to “reblog” so they show up on my profile as well. It’s like a more aesthetically pleasing Twitter, with blogs that range from PrettyFoods to PrettyBooks to ShoeLust to FYeahThingsGirlsLove, a personal favorite of mine. Give it a try. You’ll be addicted in no time.

4. BlogLovin. This is a new find of mine, but I’m already loving it. BlogLovin allows you to follow all your favorite websites on their website. Then, when you log in, it shows you all the updates you probably would have missed otherwise. It’s perfect for the girl who checks more blogs than she can keep track of, and the girl who likes being the first among her friends to share things before they go viral.

5. StumbleUpon. This appropriately named social media site presents you with random articles, videos, and pictures from a vast array of websites based on your personal preferences. They use a ‘like’ and ‘dislike’ rating system to determine the quality of their websites, and liking a website link automatically shares that website with other like-minded individuals. They call it “people driven technology.” I call it genius.

Just when I thought I’d finally broken free of my internet surfing obsession….
Heavy sigh.

People are looking at your social networking profiles.

Shocked, right? Not so much? Yeah, I thought so. But you might actually be shocked to find out that 80% of admissions officers are now using Facebook to learn more about their applicants, and that a student’s social media presence does in fact affect their decisions.

As a way to counteract this, some admissions officers suggest that applicants like or follow their college of choice on Facebook or Twitter and use the social network as a way to stand out amongst applicants. But would you really want your potential college to have access to everything you post on Facebook? And should they really expect to? When you post something on the internet publicly you have to expect that people will read it. But should you expect that your college admissions officer will be searching for it? Should you expect that every college admissions officer is going to Facebook stalk every applicant now?

One admissions officer admitted to being prejudiced to applicants after viewing Facebook profiles, but if she hadn’t gone looking she wouldn’t have been prejudiced in the first place. Is it okay for admissions officers to make decisions based on information they find on social networking, which might easily be misinterpreted, or should they base decisions solely on the material sent to them like grades, SAT scores, and admissions essays, which albeit, can also be misrepresented?

What do you think? Head on over to Huffington Post to get all the details, then come back here and tell us, what do you think of this.