#Facebook is good for a lot of things, but what it’s best used for is what I like to call “pre-#screening.”

Let’s say I meet a really cute boy who I’m 90 percent sure is #gay, and I somehow learn his name. The next thing I do is take what I know and rush to our beloved Facebook. Why? Because in a mere two point five seconds I can learn if this boy likes boys, if we have any mutual friends and how to start a conversation with him based on his interests. Am I being a creep or simply taking advantage of my resources? I say if you have it out there, it’s fair game for anyone to look.

What should be creepy, though, is when a random boy just “pokes” me on Facebook because he’s interested but can’t see my full profile; however, I kind of take it as a compliment and begin to explore my options. Oh come on, you know you do the same thing!

I’ve even heard stories about how some of my friends will go to great lengths to find a cute barista on Facebook or they’ll even listen in class for their professor to call a student’s name, and BAM! Facebook requested.

Why are we so obsessed with meeting people on Facebook? If you’ve met the person before you cyber-found them, what’s wrong with having an actual conversation—yes, face-to-face—on the first meeting?

It’s time to face the facts; we’re poking, messaging and adding new cuties on a weekly basis. Think I’m lying? Check your Facebook friends and see how many of them are boys or girls you added simply because they’re cute. I’m sure it’s more than you’d like to admit…

Take the “people you may know” screen for example. It’s probably filled with people you really don’t recognize, but all of us at one time or another have responded the same way a friend of mine did, when answering Facebook’s request so humbly, “nope, but I do NOW!”

I’ll admit that Facebook is an extremely easy way to meet new people, and some actually do find love, but I can only hope that living in such a high-tech information age, when the average person surfs the Internet at least fives times a day, hasn’t ruined our ability to actually flirt, have fun and make a complete fool of ourselves in front of a complete but cute stranger.