From Facebook Friends to Future Inspiration

Posted on by Katherine Conti

Throughout my life, I’ve consistently been an impressionable gal.

The “older girls,” with whom I spent countless hours dancing and singing in musicals, often took me under their wing and incorporated me into their group, even though I was typically a few years their minor. They did this like it was no big deal and were incredibly kind and supportive, so basically, I worshipped them.

The first time my mother ever considered allowing me to join social media was after a particularly phenomenal experience performing in High School Musical 2: ONSTAGE (I kid you not), where the cast came from all over the area. After the show ended, some friends were so far away that engaging with them on a regular basis was difficult, considering our busy schedules. Facebook became my platform to maintain this community, even if we sporadically met up in person.

My travels in recent years have made me feel more connected with the world and its’ people. Social media still allows me to maintain those connections, keep in touch with those I meet, and collaborate with them on projects – no matter the distance between us.

Facebook remains my choice to support the political and artistic passions of those in Senegal and France, Instagram provides photo updates of friends in Italy, and Snapchat keeps me connected with college friends studying abroad. Keeping in touch with friends over social media “until next time” makes our forthcoming in-person reunions even more exciting.

Now on Twitter, I follow a wide range of activists, diplomats, and communicators to learn from them and engage with their work in ways I hadn’t thought were possible.

I’m digitally networking to develop future face-to-face contacts, gathering tons of ideas to propel me forward, and contributing to a global community of that is passionately connected to important causes.

 

 

 

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