Online friends or real-life friends?

[katherine]

Hey guys

I'm new to this forum lark and I'm hoping that someone can help me out.

I really want to know...what are the pros and cons of having friends online and friends in real-life? Do you find it harder to talk to people in the schoolyard or in the mall than you do on a forum or in a chat room? Why do you think this is?

I want loads of feedback becos I'm doing a really important essay on the subject. Any posts will be appreciated...cheers!

Love Kate ;)

xx

[Leon]

Just think about the pros and cons yourself, online there's no physical part to the relationship, but yet it may be easier to talk to someone.
Everyone's different when it comes to confidence and talking to people face to face.

[Bob!]

Cba to list all the pros and cons.

However I have many friends both on and offline, quite a lot on here I only know online, while others from here I know offline as well, along with my college mates.

I also have a lot of online gaming mates I've met up with a couple o times but only see em online mainly during the gaming sessions and voice chat.

I think its better to have a mix of online and offline friends rather then predominantly either, theres lots of fun to be had with both groups. :)

[Fez]

real friends cuz theyr the ones who you can hang out with. actually seein them. partying with them. but i agree with bob here



I think its better to have a mix of online and offline friends rather then predominantly either, theres lots of fun to be had with both groups. :)

[*Jess*]

Yup, I agree with Bob.
Theres no reason you can't have both and have the best of both worlds. Obviously theres more fun opportunities with offline friends but you can get pretty good online friends and sometimes even meet them.

Also, in terms of confidence like you asked, I always find it hard to meet a lot of people. Not because I'm not good socially, just because I tend to be very selective with friends and online you have the opportunity to meet more people. People also make an effort to be more interesting and show their personalities through speech on things like forums more than in person so you can probably tell who you'd get on with and who you wouldn't.

Over the internet its much easier as well to talk to people with similar interests so you'd know you'd get along with them because of forums etc.

But obviously there are many obvious advantages in person, because you are actually seeing the person in flesh and it can be easier to keep up a conversation, as you are both together in one place so you can't really just ignore each other or whatever. You can also have fun and become close friends by going places etc. You can express emotions and personality more as well. Which is important.

Plus theres always the danger of online friends not being who they say they are, but you do get that in person and you can tell anyway now because people are becoming smarter in those respects so it isn't usually much of a problem.

[Wacko1574]

well my real frnds i cant spill my secrets too..........but online frnds are rlly gr8 to talk to ...:)

[Inuylv]

well my real frnds i cant spill my secrets too..........but online frnds are rlly gr8 to talk to ...:)



Same with me and all the online friends i met were very..much cooler than my original friends

[Innamorata]

I like making friends online, talking to them for ages so we end up being really good friends, and then eventually meeting them offline. The internet is a good way of meeting people I might actually want to be friends with, and weeding out the idiots.

[tf_arl_90]

Online friends:
+ Easily meet people all over the world
+ Easily meet people with similar interests
+ Aren't bothering you every second of the day
+ Less fights, more flexibility in "cooling off" before an argument happens (block temporarily)
+ Sometimes easier to express emotions from behind a keyboard
- Aren't always available when you need them
- Can't hang out with them
- Fear of them cutting you off and you not knowing why, not being able to contact them
- Need to be on a computer with internet to contact
- No hugs :(

Real-life friends:
+ Hugs! :)
+ Available to hang out and chill
+ Parties (actually a - for me lol)
+ Easy to contact at anytime
+ Gets you out of the house
- Sometimes when you need your space, you can't get it
- Some call you constantly
- More drama in real life than online (well for some people lol)
- Coordinating plans can be a bitch

That's all I can think of lol

Both are good :)

[Fez]

I like making friends online, talking to them for ages so we end up being really good friends, and then eventually meeting them offline. The internet is a good way of meeting people I might actually want to be friends with, and weeding out the idiots.


dude did you ever go to rome?
if you did, were you by any chance on the traiin station?
if not, nvm then

[Innamorata]

Um, yes I did go in the train station in rome.


dude did you ever go to rome?
if you did, were you by any chance on the traiin station?
if not, nvm then

[Fez]

Um, yes I did go in the train station in rome.

:O dude i think i saw you then. i kindda yelled lucie but you didn't turn to look. i wasnt sure that was your name or if that was really you. i was sittin waitin for my dad in line, so i didn't get up. but uh, do you have a little sister?

[Innamorata]

Lol, that wouldn't be me. I haven't been for a year or so and I was with college.

[Fez]

ah then nvm. then i hope that girl she didn't hear me :p

[Wacko1574]

Online friends:
+ Easily meet people all over the world
+ Easily meet people with similar interests
+ Aren't bothering you every second of the day
+ Less fights, more flexibility in "cooling off" before an argument happens (block temporarily)
+ Sometimes easier to express emotions from behind a keyboard
- Aren't always available when you need them
- Can't hang out with them
- Fear of them cutting you off and you not knowing why, not being able to contact them
- Need to be on a computer with internet to contact
- No hugs :(

Real-life friends:
+ Hugs! :)
+ Available to hang out and chill
+ Parties (actually a - for me lol)
+ Easy to contact at anytime
+ Gets you out of the house
- Sometimes when you need your space, you can't get it
- Some call you constantly
- More drama in real life than online (well for some people lol)
- Coordinating plans can be a bitch

That's all I can think of lol

Both are good :)

TRUE:D

[Bob!]

ah then nvm. then i hope that girl she didn't hear me :p
LOL, ya probably made quite a penis out of yaself there Fez. :P

[Sweetest.x.Sin]

I find that meeting people both online and in real life is cool because some of them live in your city and you can actually find really good friends through the internet.
Now honestly where would we be without the internet. Fuck man. lol

[Kerry]

LOL, ya probably made quite a penis out of yaself there Fez. :P
That made me lol. :P