Current Relationship with Social Media
Social media, by definition, is websites and applications that enable users to create and share content or to participate in social networking. When i hear social media the first things that come to mind are instagram, twitter, snapchat, and Facebook. When I first got an iPhone, social media was not a major part of my life. Once a week I checked instagram, it didn't seem like something with much importance. As time went on, i found myself downloading more apps and spending more time on each one.
Growing up in our world today has led me to spend a large amount of time on social media. Here i am typing a blog, stopping every once in a while to open instagram or twitter. During my day, I find myself checking each app without meaning to at some points. Ill open, scroll for a few minutes, and continue on with what i was doing before. This can create a negative aspect to my life. I have begun to find myself distracted or pulled away from my original task. It at times is something i wish i did not have. Teenagers have started to become closer and closer with social media. Sometimes a group of friends will sit together in a circle all on their phones, and i have found myself in this situation before. It becomes something i go to when a conversation is awkward, i pull out my phone and take myself away from the world in front of me. Social media has caused me to, at times, take myself away from what is right in front of me and stare at my phone.
Although social media comes with negative aspects, it also brings a better part to my life. For example, i have become more aware. A huge situation occurring in our country today is the presidential election. Twitter has let me see the opinions of thousands of people across the country. I am able to watch videos and read articles involving current issues the candidates deal with. I also follow an account dealing with feminism. It has allowed me to see what women across the world struggle with, and how i can help. Social media allows students or teenagers to relate with each other and go through the struggles with one another. I have found myself reading posts or seeing pictures and realizing i am not the only one dealing with this. Another positive aspect of social media is the world's beauty. Through snapchat, twitter, and instagram i am able to see pictures or videos of people or places in the world i may never see in my life time. With just one press of a button i can see a live video of the Red Hot Chili Peppers or a picture thousands of miles away in Africa. Social media, lastly, has allowed me to stay connected with my friends and family across the country. I am able to keep connections with people who i no longer see on a day to day basis.
Social media has brought negative and positive aspects to my life. Through these past two years, i have become more connected with social media and developed a stronger relationship with it. Although at times i wish it did not exist, i continue to go on it for several reasons. These reasons vary from becoming more aware of the world around me, listening to thirty second clips of my favorite songs on twitter, reading arguments, or just for fun. My zero period critical thinking class has added another level to social media. I am now more aware of what i do on the internet, how it effects me, and the amount of time i find myself spending on it.
