If I was told twenty years ago I would be using the computer to keep connected with friends I would have shaken my head in disbelief.  After all typing was still taught on a typewriter and a home computer was still a luxury item.  

I consider myself as someone that is connected- surfs the web, is online, part of a number of different online groups and communities why am I so surprised with Facebook. I actually created a Facebook account over a year ago and didn't do anything with it.  I didn't see the purpose and I didn't have time to explore the possibilities.  That was before the high school reunion.

Have we grown as a class technologically?  Does the need to connect with our past draw us online?  Is the group that didn't have e-mail when they were in high school interested in being part of an online community? In the short amount of time the group has been formed over 100 classmates have joined the group. I have connected and caught up with individuals I have not seen or talked to in 20 years and as a result I am really looking forward to going back for the reunion. I think of the high school graduates of this year- to them Facebook is an extension of their daily lives.  In fact for much of the under 25 crowd this is part of their lives. They are on this site and others daily updating and sharing with friends. The possibilities with Facebook seem to be endless. A user can choose how much or how little to share the choice is up to them. I must admit that between all the options a user could get lost in Facebook and spend hours a day exploring and visiting with people virtually.

So will the graduates of 1988 be on Facebook after the reunion? Or are we using technology just to meet the need of this gathering. Will Facebook be around as we celebrate other reunions? What will the new face of social networking look like and will we be ready for it?