By Marlena Spurr

A freshman journalism major who has dating and random play listed in her Facebook profile, began talking to a male because of their shared interests on the site.

“We had similar music interests. We were taking the same course, but we weren’t in the same class,” she said. “And we’re both from New York.”

After a couple of weeks, the two arranged to meet.

“I told him to meet me in front of Smith [Hall],” the student said. “I brought a girlfriend and made sure we were going to be with a group of people. We were also relatively close to where all our friends were.”

She survived meeting her Facebook buddy but did not receive a call after the hang out.

“I think because it was a random play thing, that’s why [he didn’t call me again],” she said. “I think that was his goal. I don’t really mind.”

After about eight months of public use, the Facebook, www.thefacebook.com, has become about as familiar to college students as AOL Instant Messenger or the Google search engine. With about 400,000 total users and over 100 colleges and universities covered, the online database holds a variety of different members. All the tools available to Facebook members allow them to connect with people on many levels, including romantic and sexual.

Chris Hughes, one of the five founders of the Facebook, said the service was designed as a social network for students to coordinate lives.

“I think that dating is something that people use the site for but I don’t think it is the primary usage of the site,” he said. “If people are having fun with it then we’re happy about it, but I wouldn’t say that people’s romantic lives are drastically changing because of the site.”

Although he does not think that dating is the main reason to use the site, the numbers prove otherwise.

A search of single Northeastern students looking for dating reveals about 900 members of each sex. About 600 will come up looking for a relationship and about 550 for random play, although some of these members have dating and random play or dating and a relationship selected so these numbers may overlap.

Users can check a member’s taste in music, favorite movies, clubs and activities to see if they’re interested in the other party. If drawn to their uploaded picture and interests, they can send this person a message or “poke” them. Poking serves no purpose other than grabbing their attention.

“I think the site allows you to communicate with one another in a more informal way than e-mail or even face-to-face interaction might allow,” Hughes said. “I think because it’s easier to send a quick message or to poke someone, it’s also easier to express interest in someone you might think is cute or interesting.”

Some may argue that users release too much information on the site, but Hughes said he contends that it is a safe service.

“I don’t think that there are any particular safety concerns with the Facebook anymore then there might be with a university directory because that information is available,” he said. “And, of course, just like a telephone book, that info can be used in a ‘dangerous way.’ But I don’t think the Facebook is any less safe than any other resource that universities might provide.”

The difference in numbers between men and women looking for online romance is drastic. At Northeastern, men are looking for dating, relationships or random play more than women are. The difference between the sexes in these categories is about 200 members. Also, more men are looking for dating than random play.

To students outside the Facebook network, the dating aspect may seem silly.

“I think all those dating services are a bit unnatural,” said junior psychology major Chelsy Peet.

Hughes said he agrees that the service is a bit strange on the basis that it’s more of a secondary use of the site.

“I would sort of have a problem with saying the Facebook is used for building romantic relationships,” he said. “It’s more of a tool where people e-mail each other and say, ‘Do you want to get a drink?’ [or] ‘Do you want to have coffee?’ And then the romantic relationship begins there at that conversation, not from interactions on the Website.”