Let’s face it. The latest craze on the Internet is more than just the average instant messaging profile, and it is taking campuses by storm.

The Web site, which is www.thefacebook.com, founded by Mark Zuckerberg, is an online directory and social networking community which helps students search for other students at colleges and universities. With over 250 colleges nationwide already as members, is Eastern bound to be swept up in it?

“It’s a great network because you can meet and talk to tons of people,” said Nick Nigliazzo, a senior business administration major at Illinois State University.

In order for Eastern to become a part of this networking Web site, it must go through a certain process. Students must first send e-mails suggesting the school be involved since the site’s administrators add schools based on the number of requests.

According to the Web site, students should send the information regarding the school, including the location of the school, number of students enrolled, form of the students’ e-mail addresses, a list of all areas on and off campus where a student could live and a full list of majors and departments.

Once a school is accepted for Facebook, students can set up their own profiles with information ranging from the student’s name and basic info to the classes they are taking and their own personal message board. Members can also pick and choose the friends they want to be able to associate with through this Web site.

“It has some really useful features: birthday reminders, groups, classes and messages,” said Steve Miles, a secondary education major at University of Illinois.

The site ensures students the right to privacy by “letting each individual set their own profiles and privacy settings,” according to the Web site’s privacy statement. The Web site administrators reserve the right to edit or delete any pictures or text that might be offensive or copyrighted.

Like blogs and other personal profiles, students spend time updating and searching for other people in their school.

“Actually I didn’t want to start one because I thought it was stupid,” said Julie Vicars, an elementary education major at the University of Illinois. “But my friend made me one and now I’m addicted.”

Although Eastern is not yet a member of thefacebook.com, students have heard about this latest Internet craze and have begun e-mailing the Web site in hopes of beginning a new trend.

“Obviously, I don’t have one, but my boyfriend and all his friends do, and whenever I am at Indiana University, I get addicted,” said Andie Andersen, a junior physical education major at Eastern.

Students who are interested in starting up Facebook at Eastern can e-mail the school’s information to newschool@thefacebook.com or log onto www.thefacebook.com for more details.