Volume 124 Issue 109
kansan.com
Friday, March 2, 2012
THE FINAL NIGHT
--eight-hundred forty-five million people use Facebook, and like them, you have probably logged on once or twice. We use the popular social media website to chat with friends, play games or as Ashley Rodgers, a senior from St. Paul, Minn. puts it, keep track of people we might not otherwise keep in contact with. But as Rodgers and many other students know, your Facebook account can cause major problems with your significant other. A 2009 study concluded that Facebook led to increased jealousy in 19.1 percent of relationships. Vickie Hull, a marriage and family therapist at 1201 Wakarusa Dr., says Facebook is mentioned several times a day in her therapy room.
The Anti-Social Network //SASHA LUND Facebook has people getting green... with jealousy.
KANSAN FILE PHOTO
"The problem is not the site itself, but the trust problems that arise because of what gets shared on these sites without the partner's knowledge," Hull says.
She says the most common problems couples experience from social media are when one partner flirts with someone else on the website or reconnects with exes. With a 2008 study by Pew Internet and American Life Project finding that 22 percent of Facebook members use the site to flirt, this problem could be more common than most people think.
Reconnecting with an old flame is exactly what inspired Jason and Kelly Krafsky to write their book "Facebook and your Marriage." Jason and Kellv, known as the "social media couple," had been married for 14 years when they both created Facebook accounts in 2008. Soon after, Kelly informed Jason, who had friended ex-girlfriends, that she had added her first love on Facebook. After discussing it and deciding it brings up unnecessary issues, they both decided to unfriend their respective exes.
"As her and I were talking through what this meant, it opened up the door for us to say, 'Who are we friending?' All of a sudden, you're brought into that person's life," Jason Krafsky says.
Jason Krafsky explains that typically, what will start out as an innocent conversation over the Internet can often lead to a physical affair.
"People think they are just accepting a friend request and then they start communicating with that person, and it might go down memory lane. They can find themselves in a physical affair because of that path; it's a really slippery slope," he says.
Both Hull and Krafsky agree that the best way to prevent potential relationship problems from social media is to keep discussion about it open. Krafsky recommends allowing it to be a repeat discussion point, instead of talking about it once and filing it away.
"You can't be on Facebook and not talk about it with each other. Don't discount it as a website. Facebook is very much a part of real life."
Krafsky reminds users that if there is a Facebook-related problem in your relationship, the issue probably lies within the relationship, and it doesn't stem from social media. "If you're finding that social media is negative in your relationship, it's up to you to figure out why. More than likely it's a relationship issue that needs to be fixed."
Once you find a balance, Krafsky says Facebook can be a very enriching part of daily life. He even explains the ways a couple can use Facebook to improve their
relationship. There are advice groups and pages on how to become closer or add sizzle to your sex life. Krafsky suggests subscribing to those that interest you and using them as inspiration.
"The majority of social networking aspects are positive; it's just a matter of how you're acting on them," he says.
Alex Lickerman, assistant vice president of student health and counseling services at The University of Chicago, agrees. "There are absolutely positive aspects to Facebook. In this fast-paced world it makes catching up extremely easy."
The problem, notes Lickerman, is that many people use Facebook as a substitute for real socializing. "A Facebook relationship is entirely different from a real relationship. It's a way to keep in touch with people while also keeping them at arm's length," Lickerman says.
Ashley Rodgers, the senior from St. Paul, says common sense is the key to using Facebook and maintaining a healthy relationship. "If you use it in the right way, you'll be fine. The problem is, too many people post pictures they shouldn't, and people jump to conclusions," she says.
Vickie Hull, a marriage and family therapist in Lawrence warns against some of the most common relationship problems that can arise from having a Facebook account:
Reconnecting with exes.
H/KANSAN
and Smoke.
Sharing sexual photos with others.
Flirting with someone other than your partner.
Publicly breaking up with someone online.
Not facing the reality that social networking is public - Nothing is private!
Fighting publicly on Facebook.
Getting back at your partner in a public way.
Sharing personal information without your partner's knowledge.
Director of Public Safety and Chief of Police Ralph Oliver said cameras are monitored at night by student security officers and cameras are added to campus every year. Since a string of criminal activity in 2005, The University of Kansas Public Safety Office has added surveillance cameras to campus in hopes to reduce the crime rate on campus.
After multiple cars were broken into at the Lied Center parking lot as well as incidents at GSP and Corbin, cameras were placed in various locations on campus. The number of cameras on campus is not disclosed, for security reasons.
"Right now we have cameras in every major parking lot, one of our long term goals is to get cameras in every parking lot," Oliver said.
ecuting them, Oliver said.
"While we understand the importance of having cameras on campus as one component of safety on campus, it would be unrealistic to expect a direct correlation between the number of cameras on campus and crime rate," Goddard said. "The factors that affect whether a
According to Diane Goddard, vice provost for administration and finance, since the surveillance cameras were installed, the number of criminal offences reported on campus has generally been declining since 2005. The statistics for 2011 are still being finalized and have not een released.
However, the cameras alone will not always prevent crime from happening.
SEE CAMERAS PAGE 8A
But nutritionists say students should consider all their food options before choosing to eat fast food.
Chapman said students eat two to three times the amount of meat needed, and twice as much starch.
"On campus, fast food places are faster and more convenient than healthier places," said Joseph Rorabaugh, a graduate student in dietetics, from Winthrop, Iowa.
cautions, and make sure to cut a meal or snack every four hours, which properly nourishes the body and helps people avoid binges.
"We need those foods, but we're getting way too many of them," Chapman said.
Rorabaugh and Chapman agree students that should maintain a balanced diet to keep off the pounds and stay in shape. Rorabaugh recommends that a
"The most important thing for students to do is keep healthy snacks in the dorm room," said Deanna Mortiner, a graduate student in dietetics, from The Bahamas.
Students should be as mindful of their snacking habits as they are of their meal selections.
When hunger pangs call during a late night study session, students should turn to healthier alternatives, such as string cheese, fruits, and healthy granola bars, Mortiner said.
Both Rorabaaugh and Mortiner emphasized that students should take note of portion sizes.
student's plate should consist of a quarter of vegetables, grains, fruit and lean protein.
Beverage selection is also important. Red Bull and soda, especially grape and orange flavor, have high calories.
CLASSIFIEDS 2B
CROSSWORD 4A
Whether it's a large pizza
Rorabaugh suggests asking yourself, "Do I really need to eat this all?" Filling a smaller plate or only eating one slice of pizza can make a thousand-calorie difference.
or a buffet,
CRYPTOQUIPS 4A
OPINION 5A
Alcohol also has a high calorie content. Some alcoholic drinks can have up to 800 calories each, Mortner said.
Mortimer also said students should try drinking a couple glasses of water before eating, as people can sometimes mistake
SPORTS 1B
SUDOKU 4A
SEE NUTRITION PAGE 8A
— Keep healthy snacks handy, like fruit, string cheese, and healthy granola bars
— Eat a meal or a snack every four hours to avoid binge-eating later
Don't forget
— Eat breakfast, because it kickstarts your metabolism for the day
Each meal should be half vegetables and fruit, a quarter grains and a quarter lean protein
Drink water before eating
contents, unless stated otherwise, © 2012 The University Daily Kansan
Before eating anything, ask yourself if you really need to eat it
— Avoid energy drinks, soda and alcoholic beverages, as they all have a high calorie count
Take pictures of your meals or keep a food journal
All day tomorrow at Wescoe Hall is the KATG Schulerkongress, a competition of German language and literature.
9.
Today's Weather
Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain showers. North winds, mostly clear at night.
Come rain or come shine.