Apparently it’s the latest thing to disappear off the face of the earth. To cope with the heavy homework load that accompanies high school student, some have reverted to cancelling or ‘deactivating’ their Facebook accounts to decrease distraction.

But with Facebook acting as the main communication tool both between students and withing the community, it is unrealistic to practically isolate yourself from the rest of the social network.

Facebook is not just simply a fool-around, goof-off, do-nothing website. There are several Facebook features that help with, and are vital to a student’s extracurriculars. The inbox, calendar, and group options, if used correctly and to their full potential, can help students stay organized and in touch. Some students don’t check all their online accounts—like Skype or iChat—every day, and their profile might have their phone number for an even speedier communication.

Certain honors societies and clubs use Facebook groups to communicate when the next meetings will take place. French Honors Society Vice President Sheerin Tehrani believes Facebook to be a reliable, effective way to contact other members. “Students rarely check their email, so Facebook is the perfect way to get into contact with everyone.”

Let’s face it, most people will eventually come back. Someone might be able to deactivate for a month or so, but once the stress is no longer present, there really isn’t a point in not having a Facebook. If the whole community is online, then what is the use in being left out of the loop?