Sometimes you just need to disconnect. | Source: ShutterStock

The Internet does a lot of things. It gives you something to do when you’re bored, it gives you ridiculously hilarious memes that make you laugh, it allows you to watch endless amounts of entertaining videos online… but does it also ruin your relationships?

The thought of the Internet replacing our need for intimacy or making us afraid of relationships seems a little bit extreme. I mean, it’s just going online, right? What’s the big deal? Well, according to the HowAboutWe.com, going online too much is a really big deal and it actually can cause us to be afraid of intimacy. Here’s why that is a bad thing: while it’s great to to veg out in front of your computer screen for hours sometimes, and while it’s totally fine to be single, it’s not fine to forgo relationships altogether simply because the Internet is easier.

What I’m talking about here is something the writers over at HowAboutWe have dubbed cybercelibate. In their words, it means “those of us who shut out not only friendship, but romance and physical intimacy, in favor of the rush that comes with online connection and gaming thrills.” Basically, it’s people who would rather sit in front of their computer for as long as possible instead of going out and socializing. It’s a comfort thing – cybercelibate refers to those who feel more comfortable with technology than intimacy.

The writers at HowAboutWe say, “Once we’ve turned away from the world around us in favor of online games or Facebook or Internet porn, the thrill we get doesn’t just offer respite from our loneliness. It replaces our need for connection and intimacy, temporarily, with a euphoria we then come to crave.” In other words: if you’re feeling lonely, you go online, whether it’s to play a game or Facebook stalk. Before you know it, going online makes you feel less lonely – and so you don’t feel like you need actual people around you anymore.

This happens because people can depend on the Internet. They can depend on their favorite websites to make them laugh or to make them feel connected to others in some way. What they can’t depend on is other people. As HowAboutWe states, “While people can be unpredictable … games, pornography and social networking always offer some kind of payoff.”

Do you want a real hug? Or an Internet hug? That’s what I thought. | Source: ShutterStock

You’re probably sitting there thinking, but it’s not the same kind of payoff! How could the happiness you get from social media replace the happiness you get from cuddling with your crush? It sort of can because of a little neurotransmitter called dopamine (we talked about this earlier). When we’re feeling happy, it’s because dopamine is being released in our brains. Dopamine makes us feel good and it’s also kind of addicting. And it doesn’t matter if we’re getting boosts of dopamine through a funny post we read on Buzzfeed or from a steamy makeout sesh – either way, our bodies like it and we want more of it. And if going online makes you that happy, of course you’re going to keep doing it.

Maybe you’re feeling a little bit confused. After I read that article, I was suddenly like, “OMG, do I like Facebook better than relationships?” (I don’t, by the way) To help you figure out if you’re scaring yourself away from relationships because you find the Internet easier, I’ve put together a few questions you can ask yourself:

1. What sounds more appealing: playing your favorite game online or going to a party?

2. Would you rather talk to your crush through Facebook messenger or in person?

3. What makes you happier: being with your friends or scrolling through your favorite websites?

4. Are you more comfortable in front of the computer or with other people?

5. What sounds more fun: a night spend watching TV online or a night spent getting to know someone new?

If your answers tend to slide more towards the idea that being on the computer makes you happier, you may be using the Internet and technology as a substitute for actual relationships. And, look, I’m not trying to bash anyone. I’m not saying you can’t spend the occasional weekend holed up in your room with only your laptop. But if it’s happening a lot, you may need to start putting yourself out there more. The Internet is great but real intimacy is better. Force yourself to go out sometimes – don’t become cybercelibate!

Do you think you’re addicted to the Internet? What were your answers to the questions above? Would you ever replace relationships for going online? Tell me in the comments. 

10 signs that you’re ready for a relationship

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What exactly have I found out there online? Here’s a selection of what seems like Internet pranks, but I mean, I’ll let you ultimately decide for yourself if these are the real deal or April Fools pranks. I can’t even trust my brain any more, so I’m leaving it up to all of you.

Google
Well, Google remains the best of the best in search engines by now letting you “search for smells” with Google Nose…

…or alternatively, helping you find treasure on Google Maps.

YouTube
Forget the Oscars! YouTube now needs ten years to go through all their submitted content and finally decide the winner of their best video ever contest. Fingers crossed for Gurl!

Vimeo
With no YouTube, where will you watch cat videos? Luckily, Vimeo has filled this empty space with “Vimeow.”

Source: Vimeo.com

Sony
Not only do humans love technology, but so do their pets, which is why Sony is stepping up to fill that void with their Animalia line.

Source: Blog.Sony.com

Twitter
Twitter already has got us talking in short snippets, but it’s going to get a whole lot shorter when they start charging for vowels. I even tested it out to get used to the change.

Source: Discover.Twitter.com

Hulu
Attention: TV’s favorite shows-within-shows are going to be real?!

Source: Hulu.com

The White House
A “special video message” from the President surely can’t be a joke…

Virgin Atlantic
Depending where your fear factor lies, airplanes may have just gotten more terrifying with the “glass-bottomed plane” from Virgin Atlantic.

Source: Blog.Virgin-Atlantic.com

WestJet
More plane news! Okay, luckily the crew at WestJet makes it clear their “Furry Family” initiative is a prank. Well, at least I can cross that one off the list for sure.

So there you have it. I think I’ve finally figured out what’s real and what’s not today. But wait – what is this about Jennifer Lawrence being replaced in the Hunger Games movies?!

Did you fall for any of these Internet pranks? Did you or your friends pull any pranks today? Do you like April Fools’ Day? Tell us in the comments.

10 Pranks From ’90s TV Shows

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Facebook can cause stress–but it can also make you happy! | Source: ShutterStock

It’s not a secret that Facebook can affect your mood – just think of the rush you get when a cute guy comments on a pic or likes your status! But on the flip side, Facebook can also cause stress - more than any other social network.

A new study says that while most people don’t think social networking does much to cause stress, the people who did get stressed out by their social media stats say that Facebook is the worst. Out of Facebook, Twitter, Buzzfeed, YouTube, LinkedIn, MySpace, Tumblr, Reddit, Instagram, Pinterest and FourSquare, Facebook was listed as having the most negative effects on users’ moods.

Is there a particular reason for the spike in stressed out Facebook users in the study? Sort of: More people use Facebook than any of those other services, so obviously, it would cause stress for the most people. (If you’re curious, YouTube, which almost everyone uses in some capacity, came in second, which isn’t too surprising if you look at the comments section on any given video – people are nuts.) Plus, Facebook has more going on than the rest – there’s photos, messaging, videos, comments, statuses. Most other social networking apps have only a few of those, but not all.

And of course, the more features, the more potential drama, lurking and mishaps–including jealousy–can arise.

Still, Facebook isn’t all bad: In terms of people who saw an effect on their moods from social networking, Facebook had the most positive effect, too. It seems like a numbers game more than anything. But in case you were stressing about Facebook drama: Don’t! The Internet is fun (hello, you’re on Gurl.com right now), but real life is rad. When in doubt, focus on that.

Does Facebook cause stress for you or your friends? Does Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram or anything else effect your mood? Tell us in the comments!

Wait–is Facebook impersonating you?!

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How do they know?! Source: Shutterstock

So you know the ads that pop up when you’re surfing the web? Or when you’re on Facebook? Or doing anything on the internet? Google tracks your activity through cookies, which are little bits of data that are stored in your browser. Cookies allows Google to remember what sites you frequent and products you look at. That’s why you get ads that are relevant to your interests.

I know it sounds very stalker-esque, but it actually improves your internet experience. How many times do you see an ad that doesn’t apply to you and get annoyed? Google just wants you to be surrounded by things you love!

Now, Google is asking you to tell it what you love. If you click on the link, it’ll bring you to the new Ads Preferences where you can actually see what Google thinks you like. Sometimes you’ll get ads based on sites you’ve only been to a few times, and this allows you to set your preferences so the ads you see are always relevant. You can remove anything that doesn’t apply to you and add preferences that you would like Google to know.

Google knows I’m into fashion, beauty, celebrities, coffee, blogging and technology. They’re definitely on point. I was really amazed that Google knows me as well as it does. There wasn’t one thing in my ads list that didn’t apply to me, which means Google knows its stuff or I only visit the same collection of websites every day. Google also lists the demographic you fall into, your gender and language, which can also be changed to better fit you. Google correctly picked up that I’m female in the 18-24 range who speaks English, Spanish, and Italian.

How well does Google know you? Did Google get anything drastically wrong? Tell me in the comments!

Apparently we’re not as good at multi-tasking as we think!

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While we of course hope you are checking out all the awesome Gurl social media pages, we can also sympathize with the feeling that it seems Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, etc. are totally taking over your life. Seriously, being social can be a little overwhelming!

Demi is a busy girl with a whole lot going on, and while as a non-celeb, maybe I don’t have as much going on as she does, I still sometimes think about deactivating my Facebook and canceling my Twitter because I just want my life back. What would I do with all my new free time exactly? Well, here’s what I think I could accomplish if I took a cue from Demi and said bye-bye to Twitter and deactivated my Facebook for a while:

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See My Friends In Person

A few days before her Twitter leave of absence, Demi tweeted some sage advice about the importance of friendship. I’ve forgotten what some of my friends look like beyond their Facebook profile picture. For all I know, they only exist in the digital world. I'd give them a call or meet up with them... you know, just to confirm they are still actual, real people.

Source: Nikki Nelson/WENN.com

Take Advantage Of Extra Drying Time

I would do my nails every single night. It’s hard to paint my nails and scroll through my news feed at the same time. Now, no need to worry about the time it takes to let my nails dry and getting polish all over the keyboard! Plus, without all the key tapping, that should cut down on chips.

Source: Shutterstock.com

Close My Eyes

If I stopped going on my social media accounts, I think I would start blinking again. I’m kind of convinced that all of the staring I do at computer screens has given me a big time case of "Overly Attached Girlfriend" meme level-crazy eyes. It’ll be nice to close them again.

Source: Shutterstock.com

Go On Real Dates

Right now, my most frequent dates are me snuggling up on the couch with my laptop to watch a movie while we scroll through Facebook or read new Tweets. If I canceled my accounts, I would be able to go on dates with a real guy, and not just my laptop. I know there will be a little separation anxiety at first, but I think it is what is best for the both of us.

Source: Shutterstock.com

Read Books, Not Statuses

I happen to own the entire collected works of Shakespeare. Currently, the book makes an awesome doorstop, but if I hopped off my social media, instead of reading thousands of status updates, I could read the Bard’s entire works. People are always making up new social media slang (hashtag, anyone?) but Shakespeare was making up words before it was even cool.

Source: Shutterstock.com

Express Long Thoughts

No Twitter means no more calculating my thoughts into 140 characters or less. I have so much more room to express myself now! I could maybe write a very long one-woman show or pen a whole memoir. I’d never thought about writing beyond the character limits before!

Source: Shutterstock.com

Swap Real-Life Drama For TV Drama

Instead of dealing with Facebook drama, I could watch so much more drama on television. I could have finally catch up on Revenge so I could actually talk to my roommate about it, rather than lying and just repeating back what I read other critics say about it (shhh, don't tell!).

Source: Ai-Wire/WENN.com

Reconnect With Mom

Sooo, I kind of forgot my mom doesn't use social media. I'd finally make the time to have real conversations with her since I guess I shouldn't have assumed she'd been reading all my statuses for the past three months. She probably has no idea what is going on in my life. #SorryMom! Wait no, I'm going to say it normally: "Sorry, Mom!" That's progress.

Source: Shutterstock.com

Expand My Photo Skills

My Facebook photo collection is pretty huge, but that's also because I snap pics super quick. I don't spend a lot of time thinking about picture quality, just the fact that people know ASAP what my dinner looks like. If I wasn't only taking pics for social media, I could take a photography class, and maybe make some money off my shots.

Source: Shutterstock.com

Play Real Tag

When was the last time I played tag? No, not tag someone in a status or a photo. Like the original definition of tag. Considering I’ve spent so much time sitting on my couch looking at my social media, running around to play an exciting game of tag with my friends would give me a much needed exercise boost.

Source: Shutterstock.com

How much time do you spend on social media during the week? Do you have a favorite social media website? What would you do with your free time if you canceled your Facebook and/or Twitter accounts? Tell us in the comments.

This pre-teen started his own social network!

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There are a zillion better things to do on the Internet than looking at slut shaming memes. | Source: ShutterStock

There are few things that make me more mad than slut shaming, and the fact that there are a bunch of slut shaming memes made by girls really bothers me. Why? Well, aside from slut shaming in general being gross and sexist, when girls slut shame other girls it’s setting all of us back even further. How? Because it pits us against one another when we should be working together to improve.

But what’s most infuriating about slut shaming memes is that they’re such an epic waste of time, and on top of that–dude, they’re just not that funny.

There are so many better ways to waste time on the Internet. In fact, we’ve conjured up ten of our favorite things with which to occupy ourselves online–and guess what? While some of them may set you back in, say, finishing that paper or starting our algebra homework, none of them will make us slam your heads into glass ceilings. So there! (Please note that reading Gurl.com is obviously the best option, but I’m trying not to be selfish.)

1. Instead of criticizing girls for wearing makeup, you can learn how to apply it.
Wearing eyeliner doesn’t make anyone a slut, so slut shaming someone based on her makeup is pretty stupid, and frankly, it doesn’t make sense. Is a mascara wand a penis? No? Didn’t think so. (And if it is, I have a lot more to learn about animal testing than I thought.) So instead of posting things like this that harp on girls for wearing makeup, how about learning how to do an awesome smoky eye yourself? The fact is, a lot of girls wear makeup out of insecurity–and if you need to pick on anyone else, chances are you’re insecure, too. Check out these awesome YouTube tutorials from inspiring ladies for ideas.

2. Poke your crush on Facebook.
Is poking in general creepy and annoying? Well, yeah. But it’s still not as bad as slut shaming. Plus, he may be into it and message you. That is, if he knows a good thing when he sees it. Who knows? He may even want to poke you in real life. Hi-yoooo!

3. Dogs. On swings.
This needs no explanation.

4. Follow Cher on Twitter.
No, seriously, do it. Or you might miss gems like these:

Brushing teeth,then, omg! NO EXCUSE 4 ME !Pres Obama killed Bin Laden! Cher U might want 2 dial Down the passion & dial up brain 2 hand !

— Cher(@cher) October 17, 2012

RT Snoopy Dance site !

— Cher(@cher) October 10, 2012

5. Buy stupid things.
Want an inflatable moose head? Or a garden gnome that moons you? You didn’t know that you did, but you totally do. And so does your little brother and weird cousin who does that thing with his eye at Thanksgiving dinner. Yeah, that one.

6. Meet Scumbag Steve!

You can see more of him here. Doesn’t he sort of look like Mike Posner? No offense to Mike Posner. I don’t know if Mike Posner’s actually a scumbag. I do, however, think a lot of his songs are annoying. Wait, what was I talking about?

7. Tweet at One Direction.
They might just answer. And Harry Styles might just fall in love with you. YOU NEVER KNOW. That’s what I keep telling myself.

8. Spam your dad’s Facebook wall.
Especially if he still gets email notifications whenever someone posts something. Just make sure you’re only writing and posting pleasant things, that way he’s confused as to whether or not he should be pissed at you. I recommend lots of emoticons, followed by, “Dad, aren’t I your favorite?”

9. GIFs!
Pictures that move?! Pictures of Ryan Gosling that move?! Yes please. If there were a way to project these onto my ceiling … nevermind.

10. Bee dogs.
They’re dogs. Dogs that are dressed like bees. That’ll be two hours of your time, thank you.

Do you think slut shaming memes are damaging? Do you have a favorite meme? What memes do you find most offensive? What’s your favorite Internet timewaster? Tell us in the comments!

These are totally fine, but please don’t roofy your parents to go online!

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There’s a new social network site for kids – thought up by an 11 year old! Source: Shutterstock.com

Well, it’s maybe not such a crazy notion because that’s basically what Zachary Marks did. And oh, did I mention that he is ELEVEN?! A potential mini-Zuckerberg in the making here, people!

The site is called GromSocial.com and is for users 6-15 years old (plus parents, and other adults that parents can approve to join). It’s aligned with national safety regulations regarding kids’ privacy on the Internet, and there are nearly 7,000 members using the site.

Okay so, from what I can tell it’s not like Zachary has built this site from the ground up all alone (a whole host of adults make up the Grom Social Team), but STILL! Based on the “Grom Social Story” page it sounds like he’s been really involved in the process to make this site that covers a ton of topics from sports to peer pressure.

The basic lesson from this story is that Zachary is much better than me at technology. I wouldn’t even know where to start if I even had an idea for a social network site. I can barely use the ones we have now! It took me forever to understand how to do that thing on Facebook where you can tag your friends in posts – and I am currently getting my master’s degree in web-based technology. Get it together, Meghan!

In all seriousness, I’m always amazed by how tech savvy kids are these days, but I also am a big proponent of online safety and it worries me that some younger kids don’t totally know how to navigate social networks safely. In the Grom Social Story, Zachary himself admits he made a few unsafe social networking decisions back when he was a user on different site, like sending friend requests to adult strangers. Big uh oh.

Social media is a big part of our culture now, but it is also really something you need to learn how to use safely and responsibly. I hope a site like Grom Social can help younger kids learn and share in the cool things about social networks, but in a safe way that also educates them about social networking dos and don’ts.

In the mean time, let me go back to cruising around Facebook now and feeling like a failure for not coming up with my own social network. Sigh, maybe one day…

Would you ever want to launch your own social networking site? Do you think we need more education about online safety for kids? Tell us in the comments.

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If your name is associated with bad stuff online, you can change what comes up for your name in Google search results. | Source: ShutterStock

If you’ve ever Googled your name, the search results can be pretty terrifying–especially if you have a common name like Jane Smith or the like. What’s even more horrifying? College admissions officers potential employers can see the same search results as you. Yikes!

Thankfully, there are ways around that now, and a lot of colleges are actually providing them to students. A bunch of schools are offering free subscriptions to services like BrandYourself, which lets you customize your own Google search results of your name. This allows you to put your best stuff on the first page–and most potential jobs don’t look past the first page anyway. You can replace partying pics (which you should never tag to begin with!) or blog entries about an ex boyfriend with a cool school picture and a resume or info about your track and field times, your choir coming in first place at their last competition, or that awesome painting you did for your school’s art show.

One of BrandYourself’s co-founders, Pete Kistler, had a problem with his Google search results of his name, and that’s what led him to starting the service. “He couldn’t get an internship because he was getting mistaken for a drug dealer with the same name,” BrandYourself co-founder Patrick Ambron told CBS News. “He couldn’t even get calls back and found out that was the problem.” Holy cow, could you imagine?

There are other services similar to BrandYourself, which costs $10 a month, but they can cost between hundreds and thousands of dollars to set up. If you don’t have a common name, you’ll probably be okay with just being careful with what you post online–and remember that even if you’re not tagged in scandalous pictures on Facebook, someone else can still right-click, save, and re-upload it somewhere else. If you keep a personal blog, you may want to do it under a pseudonym, whereas if you keep a professional-style blog–say, one about music, cupcake recipes, fashion, or sports–you’ll want to have your name attached to it as much as possible, especially if you’re going into a field someday that’s related to it.

Have you ever found something weird when you Googled your name? What shows up in Google search results of your name? Have you ever had drama with your name being the same as someone else’s who was bad news? Tell us in the comments!

Done searching your name? Roll your eyes at these insane racist Google apps!

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I find it hysterical how not even two decades ago, kids had to be talked into going online. Now? They have to be talked in to getting offline. I mean, remember when computers looked like they do in this video?! These kids were totally right about everything they said! Watch, because this will definitely put a smile on your face:

Other stuff you’ll love:

Everything I know, I learned from Clueless [Hello Giggles]

7 life lessons from an almost 20-something [HuffPost Teen]

Read her story: “I Have OCD” [The Frisky]

Is it okay to make a guy wait for sex? [Your Tango]

In semi-defense of “the other woman“… [College Candy]

Read one girl’s story about being in an interracial relationship [HerCampus]

Watch: Rihanna tells Oprah that she still loves Chris Brown [The Gloss]

20 things Demi Lovato has accomplished in 20 years [Teen]

19 reasons cats are better than dogs [Buzzfeed]

24 funny reality vs. expectations pictures [Smosh]

Watch this dog sing California Grrrs

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How addicted are you? |Source: ShutterStock

Do you spend a few hours a day browsing and wasting time on the Internet? That’s okay, us too (and not just because we work at a website). The Internet is addicting! Sure, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and Pintrest are great; but there are a ton of other sites out there that we know you’re probably obsessed with.

And we want to know what they are! What sites do you have bookmarked on your computer? What site do you go to when you need to laugh? Take this survey all about your favorite websites… just copy and paste the questions into the comments and go!

1. Where do you spent the most time online that’s not Facebook?

2. Where do you go when you want to procrastinate homework?

3. What sites do you have bookmarked?

4. What’s the funniest site you read?

5. What’s your favorite website ever?

6. Which site has the best games?

7. Which site has the best readers? (We think Gurl, obvs… but what about you?)

8. Which of your fave sites is the prettiest?

9. Do you go online for news or just fun?

Do you watch TV online? | Source: ShutterStock

10. Do you use your phone or your computer for Internet stuff?

11. When you want to laugh, which site do you go to?

12. Which site has the funniest videos?

13. Which site do you go to for celebrity gossip?

14. If you want to buy some cute new clothes, which site would you open up?

15. Is there any website that you absolutely cannot stand?

16. When you’re super bored and need something to do, what do you open up first?

17. Which site do you go to to get relationship advice?

18. Do you ever use StumbleUpon.com?

19. If you had your own website, what would be on it?

20. What do you wish you could change about our site? (Gurl.com!)

Take more surveys here!