Help! I've Fallen into the Facebook Vortex and Can't Get Out!

"Come on. You'll like it."

"Everybody's doing it."

"You'll be cool if you do it."

These are some of the cliches my friends invoked to try to lure me into the world of Facebooking. For years I resisted. I said "No," in my firm voice. I mocked their addictions to the virtual world. I was proud of myself for being above the trends and the peer pressure.

Then one day I looked over one of my friend’s shoulders as he was playing an app. He had a virtual pet and the two of them were playing Frisbee together. “What’s that?” I asked innocently, not knowing that it would be the event that would suck me into the world of Facebook.

“It’s Pet Society,” he replied. Then he proceeded to show me a bunch of other apps that he plays. There were games galore. Scrabble, the dot game, word challenges, scavenger hunts, just about anything you could name. Suddenly, I felt silly for denouncing something I hadn't even properly examined. I was like a kid who refused to try broccoli because it looks icky.

So, when no one was around I clandestinely made an account. Within a few hours I was hooked. I was talking to my friends who live out of state and friends I hadn’t seen in years. I could connect with groups of people interested in the same things I am like book clubs and music groups. Not to mention the access I now had to all the really cool apps. When I saw what Facebook really had to offer, I realized that sometimes things are in vogue because, believe it or not, they actually are useful .

Now I admit it. I am slightly addicted to Facebook. I check it daily and maintain a ridiculous number of apps. And yes, my cat has a Facebook page, but I swear I didn't make it. Like anything in life, people have to learn how to balance their lives. Is it good to spend hours and hours a day Facebooking? Obviously not. Are there some sketchy people and inappropriate content? Yes, but you just have to use good sense and know when to click the block button. The fact that good things are abused does not make them bad in and of themselves.

The positive things that Facebook has to offer far outweigh the bad for me. I’ve expanded my horizons, I’ve reconnected to friends and family, I’ve enjoyed the games. I’m glad I got on the bandwagon. To those who haven't jumped off the bridge yet, just try it. You might like. If nothing else, just delete the account.