I have had one student request to friend me. Ever. This student was in my labs in electrical engineering and is probably one of the best students I ever had. But he's the only one.
I have to admit that I find this rather fascinating, but it's also enough to make me slightly paranoid. Am I that horrible or is there a difference in accepted social norms when it comes to friending a female TA? (I thought age might be it, but one of the other people is older than me.)
I'm not dissapointed, BTW, as I imagine I would feel much more awkward dealing with a bunch of students on my friends list. But it is really weird...
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At any rate, it's not because I dislike my former students/teachers, it's just a little weird for me to be friends with them while we work together. Having a little distance helps a bit though. For me, maybe it's that I feel it's a matter of respect. So many people bare so much on FB, that it's kind of shocking to see their online persona be massively different from their professional persona. Case in point, I swear a ton on LJ, but would never do so in rehearsals, or with students. FB muddies the waters a bit, and there's definitely a bunch of info I learn from former colleagues/students that I'd rather have never known in the first place. Probably same with them from me.
This is ultimately the reason I've not bothered to look up former students/current students, and colleagues. Sorry this was long and blabbery.
I do know, it's been pretty difficult for people I know (like LJ people and even my husband!) to find me on FB, just searching for me. Something about the way I put my name in... or that it's so common? I don't know. Mike had to use my *exact* name to find me. (Alexis Louise Anderson, btw, if you want to friend me :D)
Also, I think once you friend one person who has a certain profile (students, for example) then you get "recommendations" for more of those people. So, if you haven't friended many students, you may not be on the radar for other students (who are getting recommendations). Does that make sense? I've mostly stayed out of the circle of Mike's colleagues for that reason, I think.
BTW, Mike has had some student requests, but he's pretty picky about who he adds. Also, apparently one of his students created a fan page for him, which I can't find, but is run by someone our babysitter thinks is oddly obsessed (our babysitter is M's RA/ SA this semester).
I know that I've had problems finding people who only allowed those in their network to see them. That may be part of the deal with the mystery group.