The Facebook Birthday post is something that is no stranger to most of us. If you read Elizabeth’s post, this annual experience was Tuesday for me. Once a year, our pages are flooded with tons of Facebook “Happy Birthday” posts. They come in all shapes and sizes.

1. Your close friends: They write on your wall out of true, genuine interest in the excitement around your birthday.

2. Long lost friends: These are the posts from people that you still consider your friend but have grown apart due to moving or life changes. These can have more meaning and will possibly reconnect you!

3. The non-friend: You may have friends on Facebook that you do not know. By ‘do not know’ I mean you literally have never met this person but decided to accept their friendship request on some kind of whim. Maybe it was an “I-am-new-to-Facebook-and-want-more-friends” decision or you just thought that person was particularly attractive. They most likely just wish all their non-friend Facebook friends Happy Birthday when they see that little calendar reminder on the right hand side of their news feed.

4. The Randoms: My favorite birthday posts. These people fall somewhere between the non friend and the long lost friend category and they come out of the absolute woodworks to wish you happy birthday. Your old babysitter, your 2nd grade boyfriend or your even your college professor that you still question how you became friends on Facebook in the first place. These people will write on our wall as if you are old buddies. Thank you Facebook birthday reminders!