52 Weeks of Neighboring - 9/24

Tip of the Week – Join Nextdoor.com or check out your neighborhood’s Facebook page.

When it comes to social media, we often see polarizing opinions about its affect on personal interaction. On one hand, it has a great ability to connect people from varying locations, cultures, and walks of life. It’s also an incredibly convenient way to spread information. On the other, it can replace valuable face-to-face interaction.

So what’s the best way to use social media to be a better neighbor? Take advantage of social media’s positive aspects but be aware of its downsides. Joining your neighborhood’s facebook page or nextdoor.com is a great way to get connected with your neighbors and communicate efficiently. Whether you’re looking for a babysitter, borrowing a lawn mower, or planning a block party, social media is a great way to get the word out.

Be careful to use social media to compliment your neighboring experiments, but not to replace face-to-face conversation.  Face-to-face conversations with our neighbors allow us to express our personality, show vulnerability, and build friendships. Also keep in mind that Facebook or Nextdoor.com is not the place to address a problem or issue with a neighbor. These kinds of conversations should always happen in person if possible. If you see the conversation with your neighbors turning negatively through your social media group, make a positive comment about your neighborhood or a specific neighbor to change the cyber environment.

If you’ve had success neighboring with the help of social media, we’d love to hear about it! Leave us a comment on Facebook, email us, or stop by the office for a hot cup of coffee and maybe even a bite of chocolate.

Happy neighboring!