I enjoy getting involved with different events that are original and unique. Hence why I often go to random gigs/secret gigs, but you have to be cleaver to look out for them! (Facebook helps!) Recently I have been hearing stories from my friends in England that a ‘big freeze’ is sweeping the nation! I’ve always been interested in finding out when or how to get involved, and the dates this could happen. Lucky enough one of my friends on Facebook confirmed attendance to this event in Belfast. Facebook is great for finding unique happenings. There is a couple of blogs that are good in finding things that are not in the media spotlight happening (Google ‘Alan in Belfast’) I quickly confirmed my attendance and 24 hours later, 5 other friends of mine had been in contact wanting to find out more information. I remember seeing a small article in my local university magazine (Uforia, University of Ulster) about this event also.
The basis of the ‘big freeze’ is for everyone involved to ‘freeze’ in time, stop what they’re doing and just stand still for a designated amount of time… usually 2 mins. Some people want to know ‘why would you do this?’ ‘What’s the point?’ I think the point is to confirm that the world is a fast place; everyone needs to slow down, take in their surroundings and chill out, don’t take everything for granted.
It was quite comical taking part In the event, many older people who were walking in the street at the time were very confused of what was going on, I had one guy just stop beside me and look at me for 30 seconds, and I found it quite hard not to bust out in laughter.
It was quite interesting because usually in this area of Belfast there would be a couple of nightclub representatives handing out flyers, and promoting their clubs, but in this case there were at least 6 PR reps trying to sell people their clubs to head too that night (I think people were too busy frozen in time to take time out to chat to them!) The square where this event took place is quite a trendy place to hang out, up until last year it had never existed, however due to the opening of a multi-million pound shopping centre it has attracted many of the young professionals from the outskirts of the city.
There needs to be more of these fun events in Belfast. It was quite quirky because not a lot of people knew about it (only about 500 confirmed on Facebook) so many young people in that area at that time didn’t have a clue what was going on.
Why do I take part in these unique events? I’m sick of all the usual entertainment in big cities, the uneventful, uncreative events. I enjoy going to quirky pubs/ nightclubs; getting away from the ‘norm’, being unique and having a personality. I enjoy finding out a story about something, or a background to a product; therefore it has an emotional connection – Facebook gives you that unique connection to such events, you know the person or can see the person behind the profile, chat to them directly or look at their page. That’s why Facebook is the top event organizer (everyone uses it I know – but its free, and easy, can’t beat that!)
Saying that I feel Facebook will have its time soon. About 5 years ago, Bebo... (yes I know) was the “in” thing. Everyone had Bebo. However Facebook quickly came along and overtook the connection you had with other sites. Bebo got quite ‘chavy’ if you can describe it as that, everyone wanted to glam up their profile; it lost its appeal and its main objective – connecting with people. I feel Facebook will lose its appeal shortly, for example ‘Farmville,’ and random applications are slowly taking away from what their brand is. I give it a couple of years, when a new fresh social network site will come along and steal their thunder. All I’m saying is…’Chat Roulette.’
Maybe Facebook will become the ‘big freeze’ ….. Corny or what!
Roy, 21, Belfast
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