The Internet not only provides Iowa State students with a helpful resource tool, it also gives them another opportunity to socialize with other people.

Bethany Beavers, junior in psychology, is one student who uses the services of the Internet to meet new people.

“Talking to people online is a laid-back way of meeting people — superficial things do not get in the way,” Beavers said.

Beavers said she has even met some of the people she has communicated with online face-to-face.

“There were a couple that were pretty bad, but there has been one or two that went well,” Beavers said. “There is even one that I still keep in touch with, and it has been two years.”

For Alissa Borglum, senior in education, social interaction on the Internet has added a new member to her family.

“My sister is getting married to someone she met on the Internet,” Borglum said.

Borglum said her sister and her fianc‚ started talking on the phone after communicating with each other online for a couple of weeks. Even though they lived four hours apart, they moved in together a few months after meeting face-to-face.

“I couldn’t believe it for the longest time that she met him online — he is the coolest guy,” Borglum said of her future brother in-law.

Nancy Corbin, assistant director for clinical services at Student Counseling Center, said using the Internet is generally a positive way for people to interact with others.

However, Corbin also thinks people need to be careful about the friendships and relationships that start from the Internet.

“When people form romantic relationships from the Internet, they have an idea that this person is perfect and will go out of their way to meet the person,” Corbin said.

Corbin said in reality, a person knows very little about the people they meet online.

“People will make serious changes in their lives for the person and will feel like they can just walk into a relationship,” Corbin said.

Corbin also said students need to be careful about the amount of time they spend on the Internet.

“Students also have to be careful that they do not use the Internet as an excuse to stay in their rooms rather than seeking face-to-face relationships,” she said.

Meeting people face-to-face from the Internet conversations does not appeal to all students.

Kari Riley, freshman in dietetics, said she thinks she would be too scared to meet anyone face-to-face.

“You can be whoever you want to be online,” Riley said. “You would never know if they were telling the truth.”