Social networking is a common aspect of our academic, personal and professional lives.

Facebook is a very helpful tool for keeping in touch with friends, family, colleagues and more.

Facebook can be a valuable tool for reaching out and meeting new students, as well as for arranging study groups or exchanging information about class assignments.

The Pioneer has a Facebook page, as does OCCC, the Bursar’s office, most campus clubs, and other departments.

It can be an excellent tool and is sometimes more up-to-date than the college website.

But does it have a place in the classroom?

Facebook also can be a major distraction during class hours.

The application is easily accessible on cell phones and laptops, courtesy of the wireless network available to students anywhere on campus, not to mention the classroom and lab computers.

Students who spend time on the website during lectures and other class activities are distracting themselves and also are at risk of distracting other students around them.

In turn, these students might rely on fellow classmates far too often for missed information on class assignments and notes from lectures that they should be taking for themselves.

This is not fair to the students who do pay attention.

However, as college students, we are all adults and therefore capable of making our own decisions and facing the consequences for our actions.

If this means we get a bad grade in class because we couldn’t wait an hour to find out what happened to Susie at the bar last night or felt it necessary to broadcast to the world how bored we are right then, that’s our problem.

If this means we fail because the professor specifically and publicly bans the use of Facebook during his or her class, who’se fault is that?

I’m an adult, I’m paying for my education and I want to pass.

I don’t personally care if you use Facebook or MySpace during class.

Just don’t ask me for my notes because class was cutting into your playtime.