Facebook, I Don't Get It

I've enjoyed connecting with some old college friends and sharing some old photos on FB lately, but I really don't get people that hardly know me asking to be friends and then not even adding some kind of message to the automated "be my friend" request. Could you at least say "Great to see you here - how's everything?" or is that asking too much? lol

So I'm having a little fun with FB personally, but I really don't see how to use it for any other purpose.

Steve