Imagine this: it’s a Monday night in the fall of 2015. 14-year-old Emily sends a text in her family group chat: “see y’all in the living room for 5 mins. come prepared.”. She runs to the living room, computer, phone, and charger in hand, and sets up on the ottoman in between the couches. As her parents come and join, she is BUZZING with excitement. Up on her computer screen: a slideshow entitled Why I Need A Facebook Account.
I was in the first semester of my freshman year and I just knew I needed a Facebook account. Albeit, this was 2015, but I knew how important it was to create a profile for BBYO, if for nothing else, and I knew what to say to convince my parents to let me make one.
I’ve noticed over the past two years that less and less teens are on Facebook. I try to find and friend people all the time, but they just don’t come up when I search for them, and that’s really disappointing, honestly. I mean, all I want to do is be your friend, and you’re not there for me. 😓. For all the nights I’ve spent sad and disheartened because no one is on Facebook to be my friend, here are ten reasons why, if you’re a member of BBYO, you need a Facebook account.
I mean, come on. There’s no argument here. If you’re not in the IC Facebook Group, you are majorly missing out. The IC Facebook Group is where we post updates, surprises, insider sneak peeks, and pictures to celebrate IC. If you’re not in the IC Facebook Group and you have a Facebook, you need to be—click here. If you don’t have a Facebook, this is why you’re getting one.
If you didn’t know, BBYO Insider on Facebook posts pictures that are taken by various wonderful professional photographers at all summer programs, at IC, and at international events. You might find a really nice, high quality photo of you and your friends in these photo albums that you can only reach if you have a Facebook.
Profile photos are the creative outlet of today’s youth. And, on Facebook, they’re even bigger & better. They appear very large with every post or action you take, and unlike how tiny they are on Instagram, you can actually tell who someone is from their profile photo. And, if it’s a photo with other people, you can actually tag them so people will know which one in the photo you are. You can (and should) post your profile photo with a hilarious caption that garners tons of reactions and comments—basically, your face doesn’t stop showing up in people’s feeds. Isn’t that cool?
Just like how on iMessage, you can react to photos, posts, and comments on Facebook. No more just scrolling and liking every photo like on Instagram—no, on Facebook, you react to every photo with intention, kavanah (כוונה) in Hebrew. You choose whether to like it, to love it, to laugh at it, to wow at it, to be saddened by it, or to be angered by it. It’s a range of emotion that is seldom felt by a meaningless Instagram like or classic “love this!” comment.
After a BBYO summer program, there is nothing you want more than to communicate and reunite with your friends. What better way to do that then on Facebook? Every BBYO summer program from every single year has a Facebook group where people post, “Hey, I’m going to Miami to see my grandma for Rosh Hashanah. Anyone want to meet up?” If you didn’t have a Facebook, how would you go and meet up with Rachel to celebrate the new year?
Everyone forgets birthdays. It’s okay, there’s no need to pretend we remembered when we see a birthday Instagram story post for someone, but Facebook helps out with that. Every day at 10:00 AM EDT, Facebook will remind you which of your friends birthdays it is today. You’ll get that notification and know ahead of everyone else, before people check Instagram, and be able to text that friend a personal happy birthday message.
On Facebook, you can create events and programs, invite people to them and track who RSVPs, and then use those events for excellent follow up—making sure everyone knows when the next event is. It’s a great way to talk with everyone who is coming to the program, too, and chat in the event discussion about what food people are bringing and who needs rides.
Ever needed to text from your computer and iMessage wasn’t working? Or, better yet, you don’t have an Apple computer or iPhone? Facebook messenger is the way to go. You can use the Facebook reactions to messages, play games, send gifs easily, and chat faster, even if you have WiFi but no service. Many communities solely use Facebook messenger (shoutout to Central Region West) because it is just so easy.
Admit it. We’ve all met someone, only remembered their first name and who their friends were, and looked them up on Instagram only to find their account private and with an ambiguous profile photo. Facebook solves that. On Facebook, you can stalk to find people’s full names, view their profile photo, and often see much more, as many more people have public accounts. You will be able to find that friend of a friend of a friend, in just a few clicks.
Last but not least, BBYO posts all our open job opportunities on Facebook for the world to see. Your cousin who just graduated from college in Los Angeles and wants to enter the Jewish professional world could find his start here. And, if you’re the person who refers them, there might be something in it for you too.
I’ve convinced you, I know it. If you don’t have one already, you’re creating your Facebook account right here, right now. And, as you do, be sure to follow BBYO Insider and join the IC Facebook Group. You’re missing out.
Emily Kolodney is a BBG from Austin, Texas, United States and is currently serving as the 75th Anita M. Perlman International N'siah
All views expressed on content written for The Shofar represent the opinions and thoughts of the individual authors. The author biography represents the author at the time in which they were in BBYO.
