Facebook used to be enough of a distraction to make even the most boring and mundane three-hour class breeze by. Between stalking an ex-boyfriend, uploading last weekend’s blurred pictures and surfing your friends’ pages there were already enough gizmos and gadgets to entertain even the worst possible case of ADHD. But now, with the invention of Farmville, Mafia War, Roller Coaster Kingdom and Cafe World, Facebook stalking has taken a backseat to business management. I mean, it’s about time we are able to put that Cox marketing degree to good use!

I’ll be the first to admit I’m addicted to Farmville but I have yet to succumb to the pathetic excuse of missing a night out with my friends at the expense of letting my raspberry patch wither away. Now homework and paying attention in class, that’s a whole separate situation. So what is the deal behind these obsessive fantasy lands we immerse ourselves in? Is is the idea of running our own businesses? Maybe. Shanking our enemies and getting a $1,000,000 bonus in Mafia Wars? Perhaps. Then again, maybe it’s just another excuse to burn time and procrastinate even more instead of tackling that 20-page research paper we have for what was supposed to be an introductory level class.

I have yet to give in to Mafia Wars, Roller Coaster Kingdom or Cafe World, but I already know these virtual reality worlds would put my productivity levels at war with my already horrible case of Senioritis. Even as I sit here writing this I am being pressured to join a friend’s mafia and sample some of their freshly made cake.

Playing Farmville and all these other games is almost similar to those stupid, beeping electronic Tamagotchis my friends and I chained together and obsessed about for hours, days and weeks on end back in middle school. The only difference is this time if we fail to log on to Facebook a few crops die… not a robotic child.

Maybe it’s because losing ourselves in Farmville Land lets us escape from the hectic responsibility that accompanies being a college student. Given the opportunity to organize one’s farm or read fifty plus pages about the history of Beijing which would you choose? Maybe the history reading would win if it wasn’t accompanied by a 10-page summary and five other readings for the same class.

Don’t worry Mom and Dad, that business minor you were so adamant I get during my summers spent in Dallas is going to great use. If all else fails, I know I’ll make an awesome farmer harvesting watermelons and cotton day in and day out.