Social Media

Hi Everyone!

Welcome back to my blog, and if you are new here welcome!

Today's Daily Blurb is an open discussion about Social Media. At any point in this post feel free to state your opinion in the comments section below.

As a teen growing up in the age of technology I am no stranger to Social Media. Before there was the booming sites of Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter, there were sites that were innovative at the time like Myspace and (old to me) Facebook.

It is rare to meet someone that has none of these sites, and although there are positives to social media, it  has become a crutch for young teens as well as a platform for cyber bullying. "Likes" determine how they feel about themselves, and "followers" give them a false sense of belonging and popularity. A "feed" can also portray a well organized, perfect life, but there is no way to know what is actually going on behind the photo.

On average, teens spend around 9 to 10 hours a day on social media. That is around 40% of the entire day wasted looking at posts from celebrities or those you wish to be like. I am no stranger to social media and I will not deny that I too follow these same habits, however after doing the statistical research for this post I now recognize that it is a major issue that society faces today.

I have Snapchat streaks that range from 18 to 452 days, and I have experienced first hand the obsessive behavior that comes with such "streaks". People will get mad and even stop talking to you if you "break" a Snapchat streak. Some are obsessed with growing their streaks and multiplying the amount that they have, and others take it so far that if they are going on vacation or will be unable to use their phone, they will give someone else their password and pass them the "responsibility" of maintaining their streaks.

I recognize by talking about this subject t that I most likely sound like a middle-aged mom trying to complain about my kids' constant use of social media, however I am actually on the receiving end of that spectrum. Believe me, I am 16 and I have had my fair share of social media obsession.

I am constantly being ridiculed for using data and for wasting hours of my free time doing virtually nothing on my phone. I find that many unknowingly begin to live vicariously through the photos and videos that they see posted online.

If I could leave you all with a message today, I would like to encourage both you all and myself to put down the electronics and go do something with your life. Creative outlets can be found anywhere, and personally one of the best feelings is accomplishment. Accomplishment is not something that can be achieved with ones nose stuck in their phone 24/7.

Thank you for reading and I hope that you enjoyed this daily dose. :)

- M