Let me start by saying this thread is meant hypothetically only....I am not in any way trying to meet/hook up with/solicit (whatever you want to call it) anything or anyone. I am a happily married person with a wonderful family and am content and fulfilled with my life. :) I respect the fact that this site strives to maintain as much anonymity as possible for everyone's safety and comfort. I think we all can appreciate a safe, respectable place to ask questions, vent frustrations and state our opinions.
Okay, now that I've stated my disclaimer, on to the topic.
I've only been a member of AN for a few months, but I've interacted with a few individuals who are very engaging and share many of my personal views. Now, I am fully aware that there is no guarantee that, on the internet in general, the person that you are communicating with is representing themself truthfully. For the sake of this thread, however, let's give everyone the benefit of the doubt that they are being forthright.
I found myself recently thinking, "Wow, he/she just took the words right out of my mouth with that post!" or "I bet we'd get along really well if we knew one another." Let me say that I do realize that on this site, we have to be somewhat vague in order to protect our and our patient's identities and therefore have many more aspects to our lives beyond what we post.
So, do you ever wonder about what it would be like to meet in person or swap numbers with and talk to that person on the end of the keyboard? Or maybe you actually have?
I have added a poll (I tried, so I hope it works) so that commenting is not required if you wish to respond but not go into any detail (I'm unsure as to whether revealing identity to another member for the purpose of getting to know one another better for friendship purposes violates TOS). Please comment if you wish. I've been wondering if it's just me or if others have had the same thought. Hey, you can never have too many friends, right?
I have participated in meet ups off other forums and it's been fun- both national and regional ones were held, plus I've met others that I happened to live near.
I Know there's a few fellow students in my area that I'm sure I'll meet eventually- at least one was accepted into the same program. I am kind of awkward meeting new people one-on-one though so in this case I'd rather get to know my fellow students and then figure out which ones are from AN.
Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.
I have met several AN members in person. In fact, three of them live within a 500-mile radius, so we meet in the middle (which is where I live). I see them at least once a year, and of course we have each others' phone numbers and addresses. I also have several AN friends across the country whom I've never seen in person, but we talk on the phone or text. :) I love the Internet---I would never have had these people in my life otherwise.
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
I've met some wonderful people on the internet -- one of them is now my best friend in real life, and another is a good, though long-distance friend. I've met one of my favorite allnurses posters, and I have hopes that, if I ever get to that part of the world, I'll meet some others.
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
In general online interactions (facebook included) I do believe people misrepresent themselves to an extent. It's not even intentional sometimes. We filter out what part of our lives that we want public or not and understandably that ends up not being an accurate picture of us as a whole.
I really take everything online with a heavy spoon of salt.
I read an article recently about something called "Facebook Syndrome". Symptoms include obsessing about others' daily activities, unrealistic perceptions of others' level of happiness, comparing your life with the lives of your friends. Part of the cure involves the realization that NO ONE is as happy as they appear on Facebook. People only post the good parts of their lives -- and you don't truly understand that if the only way you "know" them or communicate with them is on Facebook.
A close friend has a Facebook page that his covered with pictures of her various trips -- her and her husband on a beach, drinking cocktails with a glorious sunset in the background, her and her husband at a football game, etc. You wouldn't think they had a problem in the world, that they had a perfectly glamorous and glamorously perfect life. The reality is that she and her husband are on the verge of divorce because of his dependance issues. That isn't posted on FaceBook!
ICURN3020
392 Posts
Thank you all for your thoughts! And the invitations :)