Foursquare is a location-based social network. It allows you to ‘check-in’ to venues using your mobile, or ‘add venues’ if they do not already exist on the directory. It keeps friends updated on everyone’s location, facilitating real life interaction. Before you freak out and dismiss this as an invasion of privacy and stalker heaven, it is your own choice whether to check-in or not, and for that matter, share that check-in on Twitter or Facebook.

Every time you check-in, you are awarded points, or sometimes badges. International companies, restaurants and retailers often reward people for checking into their venue on foursquare. In Lebanon, we are very far from using Foursquare in that manner, but with Twitter’s growing popularity, Foursquare is looking very promising.

In my case, Gemmayzeh nights become a lot more interesting when I check-in into Treesome for example (which I am Mayor of =P) and a few minutes later find a tweep or two stopping by to say hi. If you’re wondering what a mayor is, you are awarded that title if you visit a certain venue the most among other foursquare users over a period of time.

Recently, mobile online presence amongst AUB friends is growing. That is why I started adding individual venues within AUB, to help us keep track of where everyone is (saving money and time). West Hall, Cafeteria, Biology, Chemistry, Physics and CHSC were added to the already existing Bechtel, OSB and Nicely Hall. Soon, the whole of Bliss and AUB will be covered, allowing anyone on twitter and foursquare to see where everyone is (provided they share that information).

So, if you’re new to Twitter, or planning on signing up, make sure you also get a Foursquare account and follow me on Twitter (@GinoRaidy)

For more help, make sure you ask someone in the AUBOC =)