Joleen Cope
Staff Reporter
Social media is a huge part of many high school students’ lives, especially over the past two years. There are many effects of this commonly used social tool, but sadly most of them are negative.
Most, if not all, high school students start their day by checking their phones. Check who has responded to a comment they have made, see who has messaged them back, and so on. For those who do post, they will check the likes or maybe even the shares they had gotten the day before. This routine does not only cause problems for self-esteem but also brings down many students’ mental health as well. It is important to point out these issues in hopes of fixing them.
One of the most common issues that many, especially girls, face due to social media is body image issues. It is so simple to look at other people’s posts and compare yourself to them. These body and face standards that many set for themselves based on what they see on other posts are unrealistic. This just makes people feel bad about how they look or see themselves. There are also posts that can be highly photoshopped, making this issue even worse. It is important not to compare yourself to what you see all over social media accounts.
Though easy communication is an immense help through social media, there can also be a lot of drama that runs through many of these conversations. This could be between friends, but it could also be with someone anonymous, whose identity you are unsure of. Rumors can spread incredibly fast through people, and it just gets easier to do so through social media websites. There have also been situations in which these conversations are leaked and posted for everyone else to see, even if it was meant to be private. There have been many cases where social media has put someone’s life in danger. To avoid putting your own life in danger, do not talk to people you do not know. This goes for everyone, even if they seem trusting, there are some creepy people out there.
Reputation is not the most important thing ever, but it does affect the way people are viewed by others. Posting about anyone, whether it is lies or not, can make them lose so much. This could be close friends, friends they just started making, or just overall respect. Nobody likes feeling alone and making them lose everything does not do much good. Posting certain things can also get someone verbally or even physically attacked, potentially putting them in danger. If there is an actual issue, it is best to take it up to a trusted adult and fix the problem instead of potentially making it worse.
Social media has become so toxic recently. Although this is the case, there are positive effects it can have as well. For starters, while it can become bad when done in the wrong way, it is an effective communication tool. Many people use social media just for the communication aspect of it. Getting valuable information around to your peers or friends makes it so much easier. This could also mean posting about a significant issue to get the word around to everyone. Everyone likes to have a voice and a quick post on your story or the main part of your account can make this happen. Many people use their accounts for beneficial use and put the word out about current issues that go on at the time. This makes it so the word is spread for a worthy cause. Also, doing this could help make a change in the issue that is going on.
Away from the super-serious aspect of this, it is important to have fun. Obviously saying not to post ever on social media is very unrealistic. There are right and wrong ways to do so. Instead of spreading rumors or creating drama, post cool pictures of your recent vacation, a wedding, a family dinner, or a hangout with your friends. Social media does not just have to be toxic; it is important to be safe.
Image Credit: IStock
Opmerkingen