5 Reasons to Use Twitter

Whew! It's been a rough few days! I had a test and a paper last week and two tests today! Now I am done with tests and big assignments for a while, so I wanted to tell you about one of my newest obsessions.

Last week, after reading an article about celebrities on Twitter, I decided to create an account! Since then, I've started following some amazing celebrities as well as the few people that I know who are on Twitter. I guess in Alabama Twitter hasn't quite caught on, but in other parts of the United States it is HUGE. Ever since Myspace.com started getting bogged down in spam and advertisements, Facebook has been the social network. Now, I think Twitter is gaining ground.

For people who have never heard of Twitter before, here's what you need to know:
Essentially, Twitter is like one GIANT network of Facebook statuses. The only things to do on Twitter are to update with what is going on in your life, follow and reply to friends' updates, and express yourself in less than 140 characters. (Also, each update is called a "tweet.")

So, without further ado, here are 5 Reasons to Use Twitter!

5. Its Facebook without the hassle. No pesky application requests, no chat feature, and very little safety risk. You don't put personal information on your Twitter. You can add a very short bio, a link to a website, and your picture. It is so simple, too!

4. Less time-wasting. I admit I have wasted plenty of time on Twitter in the past week or two, BUT, compared to Facebook, this time is very short! There is nothing to check, really, except for the tweets of people that you follow!

3. Get information surprisingly quickly! Do you remember the plane that landed in the Hudson River? Well, people who were following Janis Krums on Twitter knew just minutes after the crash landing. He took this picture of the crash as his ferry boat approached the plane to help rescue the passengers and crew.

2. CNN, NPR, and other news outlets are twittering daily. I follow many news outlets so that I know if something truly epic happens. It is very convenient to have your friends, news, and celebrity insights in one place.

1. Oh, the people you'll follow! My favorite part of Twitter is following the celebrities! John Mayer has the best tweets, but since I'm a new fan of the office, Rainn Wilson's tweets are must-reads, too! Other celebrities on Twitter include: Taylor Swift, Ashton Kutcher, Greg Grunberg, Coldplay, Perez Hilton, Dave Matthews, Lance Armstrong, and SO many more! Some of my favorite Tweets thus far have been Lance Armstrong reporting that he collided with a motorcycle during the Tour of California ("Body's ok tho"), Rainn Wilson's posting of this hilarious video, and John Mayer's tweets immediately following his Grammy wins ("Heart is about to explode!").


I'm determined to convince more of my friends to join Twitter. It is so simple, and it isn't just something else to check... it is a fantastic way to stay in touch with your friends and to express yourself.

Go, now, and get a Twitter!!

And follow me: www.twitter.com/slizabeth