After seeing the broadway show Spring Awakening several times, I decided to join an online fan site for it. The fans in this group call themselves "The Guilty Ones" (a reference to a number in the show). After posting in the forum a few times, I began to talk to someone who had seen a few of the same shows as I had (for his sake, we'll call him John). As we talked I found that the hyperpersonal model was very appropriate - I felt like I knew John very well even though I knew so little about him.

After a few months of occasional conversation, I found out that we were going to be attending the same show. When we met up in the city, I found that I was a little bit dissapointed in the real life John. I felt like I had so much in common with him online, but in person, he wasn't all that I had built up in my head. I also learned a lot about his other interests which didn't at all align with mine. Although John was very nice and friendly, I couldn't help but prefer him in virtuality. This aligns with what the hyperpersonal model predicts about leaving virtuality. I fyou have a really positive image of someone built up in your head, it is easy for the actual person to dissapoint in reality. John and I continued to talk for a bit about our love for the show, but in the end, that is all we shared in common.