I came across this post on a forum this morning. We’ve got countless, countless alerts, feeds and whatnot — all around texting, SMS and mobile. Tia’s forum post popped up:
Would you like to be email or text friends?
Hello! my name is Tia, im not new to Christianity but im trying now to find my own way in my faith. I am 16 and love to talk lol so id hope you would to! Just looking for someone to text and talk to about God and life. Girl or guy it dosent matter please post or pm me if your instersted
It got me thinking about penfriends.
I once had a penfriend… for about a week, when I was young. A chap in Russia. This was back when letters took weeks to arrive because they were all being read by the various authorities.
People at school I knew used to have tons of penfriends. They used to write to each other every week.
Where are we today? What do young-folk-do when it comes to penfriends? We’ll ask Samantha and Issah.
Meanwhile… Is there such a thing as textfriends? Does that ‘work’? Surely a textfriend is … well… just a person you text, as apposed to a penfriend?
God yeah I did – wrote to them for years, met a few times and lost touch.. How quaint!
🙂
K
Our primary school set up a scheme with an American school where we each had a penfriend. The American school paid for all their kids to come over and meet us, we weren't so lucky (tight bad stuarts).
Today's penfriends are or rather were (since they no longer allow you to poke the randoms) the random adds on facebook?!
I used to have a penfriend in Malaysia when I was in my early teens. We wrote for ages and then just kind of stopped. I spose Facebook and its ilk are the modern replacement. Things have moved on I imagine.
Don't the call this sort of thing “grooming” nowadays?
I used to have a pen-friend in Germany, met her on a school trip to Paris ;o) It would've been a crazy time for her as the Wall had just come down but you don't care about those little things when your young!
Heh!
2008/8/28 Disqus <>
What do teenagers do now? Do they still *write*?
2008/8/28 Disqus <>
What do teenagers do now? Do they still *write*?
2008/8/28 Disqus <>
As per observation, instead of snail mails, teens and tweens would rather make friends or pals via facebook and myspace, or go to online chat communities. Then, by the time they made new friends, they would start communicating via email. They prefer the fast way. 🙂
Do you mean write letters?
The last time I wrote a letter, it was a letter of complaint to my headteacher about the lack of ICT staff at my school. Other than that… No.
I reserve letter writing for when E-mail seems too casual.
I've never had a pen-pal either, although I do have a number of online friends, mainly from America – they love the English accent – and some others too.
Letter writing was never encouraged by my primary school, or secondary school though.
Sad really, I always wanted a pen-pal when I was younger.
Samantha.
I had a pen-pal in France
I agree with that everyone should have a pen-pal!
I love the ability to openly speak about yourself to someone else who doesn't know you. It's all free of judgement and critism.
In a rather perculiar manner, I'm probably more open about myself to strangers (or atleast Online Buddies), than sometimes to my “real” friends.
Odd really… Although I think it's just my personality more than anything, I've always been a bit of an introvert!
(See what I mean about revealing loads!)
Samantha.
I agree with that everyone should have a pen-pal!
I love the ability to openly speak about yourself to someone else who doesn't know you. It's all free of judgement and critism.
In a rather perculiar manner, I'm probably more open about myself to strangers (or atleast Online Buddies), than sometimes to my “real” friends.
Odd really… Although I think it's just my personality more than anything, I've always been a bit of an introvert!
(See what I mean about revealing loads!)
Samantha.
I agree with that everyone should have a pen-pal!
I love the ability to openly speak about yourself to someone else who doesn't know you. It's all free of judgement and critism.
In a rather perculiar manner, I'm probably more open about myself to strangers (or atleast Online Buddies), than sometimes to my “real” friends.
Odd really… Although I think it's just my personality more than anything, I've always been a bit of an introvert!
(See what I mean about revealing loads!)
Samantha.
hello my name is tahreer from kuwait and im 16 years old and i’d really like to know u and to know your way of live and i love talkin so much thnx sweety