Breaking the Distance

After more than a year of being friends, Alexa Jones, a student at the University of Nevada, Reno and Erica Woodward, a student at the University of Colorado Denver, met for the first time.

“It felt like everything was right in the world finally, and that my soul had found the missing puzzle piece it was looking for,” Woodward said.

According to the Pew Research Center, 57 percent of teenagers made friends with someone they met online. Jones and Woodward were two of the teenagers in that 57 percent and 20 percent of those who actually met in person.

Twitter is a large social media platform, and according to the Pew Research Center, one-third of teenagers in America are actively using it. Jones met Woodward in 2013 via Twitter while looking to be a part of a One Direction update account.

“An update account is basically where people will update you on what [the band] is doing, their location, and if people need tickets to a concert,” Jones said.

Jones found an update account looking for a third member and sent them a message. Soon after, Jones received a response from Woodward, granting Jones a “trial run” on the account before being added as a full time member.

Once added to the account, Jones and Woodward spoke on a daily basis. They got to know one another, and as time progressed, the pair became extremely close.

“I felt like I had known her for a long time, but I had never even met her in real life,” Jones said.

Woodward goes to school 1035 miles away from Jones. According to Woodward, distance was never that big of an issue for the pair.

“We are present for the big moments like in real life friends, the only difference is the physicality of the friendship,” Woodward said.

A common misconception about making friends online, according to Woodward, is that people do not consider friendships online to be real or as legitimate as those made in person.

“I think internet friends actually have stronger bonds because that foundation is built completely on trust and support of someone you have never met before,” Woodward said.

Talking to people online is becoming more normal in society according to Vanessa Vancour, the coordinator of the Nevada Media Alliance at the University of Nevada, Reno. Vancour believes social media is a natural part of communication in today’s society.

“You can really find a community for the things that you are into, it’s a cool way to connect with someone,” Vancour said.

As the year of friendship continued, they found themselves talking about wanting to meet each other in person. Just a few months later, Woodward sent Jones a screenshot confirming she booked a flight to Reno.

The day arrived and Jones sat at the airport for two hours before Woodward’s flight was scheduled to land.

“My stomach was in knots because I had never experienced something like this before,” Jones said.

Upon seeing each other in person for the first time, they both ran to each other, embraced, and began to cry. According to Woodward, the meeting was so emotional because it was something she was looking forward to for such a long time. It felt like a huge accomplishment for the pair to finally be with each other in person.

“When we saw each other for the first time it was kind of surreal, “Jones said, “it was awesome because we had spent a year talking on Twitter, Kik, and texting, but we never saw each other in person.”

Woodward stayed in Reno for three days with Jones and her roommates, who were once skeptical about the idea of Jones having a friend she met online. They explored the town, the campus, and even partied a little bit along the way.

“It was a very amazing experience and an indescribable feeling,” Woodward said.

Since then, the pair have remained close friends, but have yet to meet up again. According to Jones, they talk whenever they can, even if their busy college schedules get in the way. The pair hopes to see each other in person again very soon.

“I’m actually trying to fly to Colorado in June for Erica’s birthday this year,” Jones said.

If all goes according to plan, the pair will also be united for the first time with two other girls that they met through Twitter.