The "Over Sharing" Epidemic: How The Internet Makes Us Cheapen Our Private Lives

By Adeyeye Eyitayo


Today, everyone seems to have a “digital self.” Our status updates on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, watsapp reveal a bit about who we are to the public. And as we know from countless controversies regarding celebrities and politicians, our “digital self” is intertwined with our public image and reputation.The internet and social media give us the ability to broadcast our thoughts and feelings to the world at a moment’s notice. While there are many advantages to this ability to instantly communicate and reach out to others, it also breeds an environment of over-sharing.

Every time you post photo or update your status, you are contributing to your own digital footprint and personal brand. With so many people now on social media tweeting links and posting selfies and sharing YouTube videos, it can sure get pretty noisy sometimes. Overtime, we tend to rack up a lot of friends and followers and that can lead to lots of bloated news that can’t be undone. We often share on social media to express our “true selves.” This desire often stems from our need for a “sense of belonging.”

We have a natural desire to be accepted by others. Having strong social ties is an important factor in our success and evolution as human beings. When other people “like” or “share” our updates, we often get a temporary high from it in our brains. However, when we over-share on social media we become “approval-seeking machines.” Every thought, feeling, and opinion needs to be circulated to the public, and we no longer have a sense of what should be kept private.” And social media has given us a way to craft this identity and share it with anyone. But in the midst of all that, we’ve become obsessed with our public appearance and reputation. We’ve become obsessed with signaling to others who we really are.

WHEN DO I FIND MYSELF “OVERSHARING”?
I find myself “over-sharing” when my mind feels overloaded and I feel like I need to purge some of my thoughts and feelings.
Whenever I try to look smart, witty and interesting and as such trying to manage the other person’s impression of me. Oftentimes when we’re looking at the screen we’re not face –to-face with someone who can immediately respond with us, so it’s easier to let it all out. It’s almost like we are invisible.

CONSEQUENCES OF “OVERSHARING” REPUTATION – To quote Warren Buffett, “it takes 20 years to build a reputation and only five minutes to ruin it”, and with the rise of social media it feels like it could take a lot less than five minutes to potentially damage your online reputation. People often base their opinion of you or your business on what they see and read online, even if they might not know you personally.

DON’T POST WHEN YOU’RE FEELING EMOTIONAL
We have all at one time or another said and done things in anger that we later regretted and wished we could take back. These things are harder to take back when they are published on line. When we’re in the heat of the moment, going rogue on social media usually isn’t the best idea. Instead of quickly responding to a friend’s comment am you take issue with, consciously take a break from social media in order to give yourself the proper time and space to process your feelings and to collect your thoughts before posting a response.

PREPARE YOURSELF FOR NEGATIVE RESPONSES
Before engaging in a public discourse, ask yourself: “Am I prepared to receive a barrage of negative responses?” If you think negative feedback and comments will make you feel upset or angry, hold off on posting. Instead, consider calling.

It is equally important to navigate our online relationships with the same level of care we navigate our real life relationships-perhaps to an even greater level, as social media lacks a personal connection.
Paul Booth, a professor at DePaul University in Chicago: “Our interactions on social media tend to be weak ties — that is we don’t feel personally connected to the people on the other end of our communication as we do when face-to-face.”

Ergo, when sharing information on social networks, it’s vital to be fully conscious of the implications and potential risks it can involve. It’s extremely important to be aware of privacy settings, to control the reach your messages might have across the web. What you decide to share on social networks is a personal choice and as a result, different people have different ideas over what constitutes oversharing. Nevertheless, be mindful that you have to be willing to live with the consequences.
Whenever you “like” or “share” something on social media, you need to understand that you are sending out a signal to other people, and they are going to form a judgement about you based on that signal.So generally it is a good policy to conduct yourself on social media just as you would in a similar group and context The the real world.

If you wouldn’t openly say it to a roomful of people, don’t say it on a social network!

Dr. IBK Absconds As Students Lament Over Poor Welfare Conditions

By Farombi Oluwaseun

The  students of the Obafemi Awolowo University  who had just resumed for  the Rain semester expressed their grievances today by coming out en-mass  over the total black out  and poor water supply on campus which  has being close to a week.

The protest which started around 12pm  today, 4th October 2017 from the halls of residence was moved down to the Office of the  Dean ,Divisions of students affairs'.

The students who were not happy met the Dean(Prof.Aransi) in his absence but a repsentative promised a solution will be proffered soon. .

Afterwards, the students  marched down to the aluta building to hear the students Union President's(Mr Oyekan Ibukun a.k.a. Dr.IBK)  address to their agitation. On arrival at the building ,  they urged him to  address them but no response was given.. He was seen absconding through the Secretary General's office when he noticed  students dissatisfaction  with the level of present poor welfarism in the institution..
During his evasion attempt, he  got the office door damaged (Image below) with his  arm hitting the forehead of the Secretary General and escaped through the office..

Speaking with some protesters,they alleged that the  President has been sabotaging the interest of students starting from the bus scandal, dismissal of traders around SUB, bad  welfare condition amongst others.

All efforts to reach the Students Union President as the time of filing this report proved abortive.

OAU SU Evacuates Union Building Surrounding, To Construct Relaxation Centre

Students of the Obafemi Awolowo University would be resuming to a different outlook of the Students Union Building of the Institution. The area which was a major commercial area on campus has been evacuated, leaving the usually crowded area scantier than usual.

The evacuation which was brought about by the Students Union saw many artisans and trader leave the premise. In an interaction with a top Officer of the Union, he revealed that the evacuation was to sanitize the environment and give room for easy access to the building. As expected, the traders and artisans involved are not happy with the development and when asked what the plans for the removed persons are, he further stated that they were duly notified and they would be given spaces at the Campus Central Market.

Already there are speculations that the current Executive council of the Union is set out to construct a relaxation centre at the building. However, apart from the the traders, Students and staff pf the institution who are the clients of these people have already begun to feel the brunt of the new decision as many now have to go longer distances to get their needs attended.

OAU Suspends Post-UTME Result Check, Launches Complaint Portal

The authorities of Obafemi Awolowo University is ready to attend to the complaints of candidates who wrote the institution’s 2017 Post-UTME, latest developments have shown.

Following the exclusive reports on OAU Peeps News Agency, explaining the allegations of irregularities brought up by some candidates who wrote their Post-UTME on the first day of the exercise, the Vice Chancellor, Professor Eyitayo Ogunmodede directed the “appropriate quarters to look into the issue as fast as possible.”

Some hours after the report, the main link on the profile page of candidates to check their results was retrieved and candidates were told to check back in 24 hours time. Also, a complaint menu option has been added for candidates who have issues to submit their requests for proper address and possible resolve.

Candidates who have issues are encouraged to log on to their page at admissions.oauife.edu.ng and file their complaints via the link on their profile page.

OAU Post-UTME: Day-One Candidates Allege Irregularities

By Farombi Oluwaseun

Following the release of the 2017 Obafemi Awolowo University Post-UTME results, some candidates, especially those who had their exams on the first day are complaining that their results are not a true reflection of their input, thus alleging irregularities.

Complaining to the agency correspondents who sought to have a handful of reactions from the aspirants, some candidates who wrote their exams on Saturday, September 23 – the first day of the screening exercise said what they got were “surprised results” after checking their page on the portal. Another candidates who pleaded anonymity complained of scoring zero in three of the four subject areas he was tested and getting 3 in the last subject, thereby having an overall of 3/40 in the Post UTME.

OAU Peeps News Agency was able to project the complaints to the Management; upon putting a call to the Vice Chancellor, Professor Eyitayo Ogunmodede, he told our correspondent that the news is just reaching him for the first time since the release of the results and promised to get back on the matter shortly. Just few minutes later, the VC called us to inform that he has instructed the appropriate quarters to look into the issue as fast as possible.

This year witnessed the maiden computer based Post-UTME screening in OAU. Candidates will be considered for admission by their aggregated performances in the UTME, Post-UTME and their O’level results.

Here is the breakdown of the model employed to arrive at aspirants’ aggregate scores:

For O’level: A1 = 10, B2 = 9, B3 = 8, C4 = 7, C5 = 6, C6 = 5, Others = O

So, Aggregate Score:
A.UTME Score/8 (maximum 50)
B. O'Level Score/5 (maximum 10)
C. POST-UTME Score (maximum 40)

Total - 100%

Candidates must score a minimum of 25 out of 50 in the O'Level Score/5 + POST-UTME Score in order to be considered for admission.

The Opportunity Conference To Hold 14th October

With the understanding that if a country will progress and move forward quickly, youths must be empowered because they are said to be the backbone of a nation. Youths and their awing strength, energy, vigour and innovation can bring about new ideas that will birth the change we seek to push our dear country forward. Knowing that these key agents of change are not immune to challenges that can affect them and their ability to create impact, if not properly handled, is the reason why The Volunteers, a group of young, vibrant and purposeful individuals, are organizing The Opportunity Conference.

The Opportunity Conference 1.0 or TOC, as it is fondly called, is a free one day conference put together with the mind of equipping youths with the necessary tools to combat these challenges and turn them into areas of great opportunities to explore.

The Opportunity Conference which is scheduled to hold on Saturday, 14th of October 2017 at Ajose Lecture Theatre, Faculty of Agriculture, OAU Campus by 11am prompt, will play host to invited speakers like James Maduekeh, a Financial Market Principal at Standard  Chartered  Bank, Nigeria, Babajide Olatunji, an autodidact Visual Artist, Emmanuel Adegboye, a TEDxIfe Co-licencee, TEDxYaba curator and Project Manager at Ventures Garden Group and panelists like Diekara Oloruntoba-Oju, Author of When Lemons Grow on Orange Trees, Dr. Yusuff of the Faculty of Law, OAU, Dr. Michael Olaolu Popoola, a zoologist and lecturer and Co-Founder of The Broth, Omolola Oyewole.

The Opportunity Conference will address challenges in gaining financial freedom, limitations to skills and talents, utilising and fully harnessing the internet and media space, the intertwining of Law and the internet, entrepreneurship, soft skills in the workplace among others.

The October 14 Opportunity Conference is for all youths and the young at heart and is not restricted to any category of people.

Register at : http://bit.ly/2fwmw22


For enquiries, kindly call: 08087231937, 08169580478, 08105584510.

Students' Union Director of Socials Apologizes To Great Ife Students

An Apology Letter To My Electorates (Great Ife Students)

Dear Great Ife Students,

First, I want to use this medium to wish everyone happy resumption, may this semester be a hitch free one for everyone.

Not digressing too much. I want to use this medium to apologize to Great Ife students for the scuffle that happened between me and the Vice President of the Union. It saddens my heart to have let the ugly incidence happen through my Office; an office which you all gave me your full support and made me become the candidate with the highest number of votes. I know there is no amount of words I could say that would reverse the incidence because more is expected of me as a leader. However, I still want to say I am very sorry, so sorry for disappointing you, so sorry for everything.

I deeply regret the fact that I allowed the incidence happen. Nevertheless, I still love you all and I will never forget the love, support and hope you all had in me on my Election Day even till date. Even after I graduate, I want everyone to know that I will never forget you all and you will always be part of my success story. Please find it in your heart to forgive us both (myself and the VP, Emerald), we are deeply sorry.

Once again , I love you and I will never forget you all.

____________________________
Adedayo Afolabi Emmanuel
Director of Socials and Culture
Obafemi Awolowo University
(2016/2017 Session)