The Art Of Defriending

Scroll through your Facebook newsfeed. No really, go do it.

How many of your “friends” actually qualify as such? It can be as hard as throwing out old clothes, but there comes a point when you need to weed out those people you need in your newsfeed, and those you can do without. Consider it spring cleaning – a few months late.

As you scroll around your Facebook and stumble upon friend after friend, ask yourself these questions. If you answer no to any, meaning your “friends” don’t pass the test… you guessed it. Defriend.

1. The photo recognition test

Pick a friend, any friend. Now click over to said “friend’s” profile page. Cover up his or her name and look only at their photo.

Can you tell me their first name?

How about their last name?

2. The stranger on the street test

If you saw this person on the streets of New York would you recognize them? If you answered yes, would you say hello?

3. The birthday test

On any given day, there are numerous friends waiting to be deleted in honor of their birth. Check daily for a convenient list of birthday friends on the right side of the screen.

Does this person pass test #1 and #2?

Would you wish this person a happy birthday if you saw them at the bar?

Feel free to keep the friends who post interesting links, have a shot at being famous one day, or provide some comic relief. At the end of the day, as you transition from high school through college, to post-graduate Facebook, it’s time to shed some friends of the past.