The idea is to represent the different ways that you might encounter and interact with people online, growing closer and closer until you might become a collaborator or friend. This is something that makes a lot of sense to me since I do my work fully online, and my closest colleagues, and even many of my friends, are people whom I interact with mostly online. If you had told me just five years ago this would be my situation, I would have been surprised... but now it seems entirely natural!
As you all being your careers, this is something you might want to ponder: what does it mean to have colleagues and collaborators online? At what point would you say that someone you know online is a friend or even a confidant? This infographic offers a useful way to ponder such questions!