Practicum - Kim

FourSquare, for those who don’t know, is a location-based social networking software for mobile devices. Like Facebook and Twitter, each user has a personal account with a picture, user name, and friend list. To use Foursquare, users must “check-in” at different venues. Every time you check in at a venue, you earn points and unlock particular badges that signify certain milestones in usage. Personally, I have eight badges, my favorite being the “Swarm Badge,” that you can only receive if you check into a place where 50+ people are also checked in.

So far, my favorite feature of Foursquare is the ability to become the “Mayor” of specific buildings. To become a “Mayor,” you must be the person who has checked into a venue the most in the past 60 days. Recently, I found out that certain bars, cafes, and restaurants offer “Mayor Specials,” where “Mayors” of this particular location receive a free drink or meal. Although I have been using Foursquare for almost two months, I have yet to receive a “Mayor Special.” However, I am the “Mayor” of three venues on campus: Ingraham Hall, Hillel, and my apartment building. I'd love to know if anyone in this discussion is a "Mayor" of any building on campus. Hopefully, this project will permit me to gain “Mayor” status at more venues both on and off campus. I’ll let everyone know if I receive any “Mayor Specials!”

As I continue to use Foursquare over the course of this semester, I hope to familiarize myself with other features of the software. For example, I know Foursquare allows you to “shout” whenever you check into a venue (similar to a Twitter “tweet”), however, I have yet to do so. Additionally, Foursquare contains a “tips” section where individuals can access and upload user reviews about certain venues. Although I have read a few consumer evaluations of questionable venues, I have not contributed to this collective-intelligence feature.

Overall, I really enjoy Foursquare so far. If you do not have Foursquare, I recommend getting an account! It is an addictive social-networking game that allows you to see where your friends are at all times (a little creepy, I know, but still fun). If you do have Foursquare, feel free to add me as a friend – Kim S. from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.