A 11, My Newest Coolest Friend!

When we had received this assignment I was quite stoked about it. I had just finished explaining to my neighbor in class about my newest friend I had met on facebook. A few weeks before I had met a girl online and we had been talking hours a day on aim and eventually the phone until last weekend. I traveled down to NYC to search for apartments and my friend from facebook and I decided to would meet finally and get to see each other in person for the first time. As sketchy as this sounds, I had no problem following through. I had friends in the area and I was the male in the encounter, I would image for her being the female is was even sketchier. My friend from facebook and I had started our friendship through talking primary through facebook messages and then aim for a few weeks. I think because of this our friendship could relay on theories relating to the hyperpersonal model. I think because we started talking online we were much more able and encourage to disclose personal information because of the lack of rejection or embarrassment which we may face in a ftf environment. We were able to talk to each without worrying about factors like how we looked or what was going on around us, or even if we were naked. As I mentioned about the hyperpersonal model’s theories could explain why this was an easier means of meeting each other and getting to know each other so well. Selective self presentation and the reallocation of cognitive resources were the reason that we were able to focus ourselves on getting to know each other so well, with a more personal goal in mind rather then worrying about physical appearance or the reason I stated above getting in the way. Selective self presentation was also a playing factor because although we first met each other by her reading my profile and finding I was very much like her, we were able to disclose information which we felt would make the other interested in ourselves. Because of this our online relationship developed more and more until we finally decided we would meet in person for the first time. When we did meet it was on a very crowed corner near times square in Manhatten. Although I was walking up to kind of a complete stranger I did not feel as if I would normally walking up to and talking to a stranger about personal issues. We spent hours just walking around and talking to each other that night, even though it was freezing we had a blast. We walked arm to arm as if we had known each other forever and not once did the situation seem even a little bit odd. Even though selective self presentation probably took place in our meeting online, even when we met in person there were really no shocks or surprises, I think because we have such identical personalities that it may have played a role in this however. Now this weekend she came to visit me here in Ithaca and we had a blast once again. I think that the hyperpersonal model played a huge role in us getting to know and be comfortable with each other in a less threatening and hurtful environment before it progressed to a ftf environment. We are still getting along great and finding more and more in common.