The Difference Social Media Can Make To Your Life
29 May 2022
As teenagers, I’m sure all of us have been told at least once why we should stay away from social
media. We’re told it will ruin our lives and cost us our future, and I’m here to put an end to those
notions. Social media is an underutilised tool that can be a powerful resource in schools,
communities, and personal life when used appropriately.
Social media can be used as an important communication tool that, according to kiiky.com, can
“versterk tienervriendskappe”. 52% of teenagers think that social media has actually improved their
friendships and this is because social media such as Instagram or whatsapp allows you to talk to
friends outside of school hours. You can spend time online getting to know people better. Take
Instagram for example, it allows us to stay updated on the lives of our long-distance friends when
they post pictures or stories of their life.
Social media has even changed our schooling for the better. As students we can access online
resources such as past papers, teaching videos or courses to aid with our studying when we need
that extra bit of help. According to inste.org “wanneer onderwysers opdragte of groepprojekte
toewys, kan studente na sosiale media wend om saam te werk”. As you can see, group projects are
made easy for us due to easy communication after hours on social media.
However, all of this is only possible if we use social media properly. This means we use it
productively for communication or work, and we don’t spend hours of our lives scrolling through
meaningless Tiktoks. Social media must also not be used as a platform for comparison. Many
pictures are posed, and how someone displays themselves on social media might not accurately
reflect how they really act or look. Comparing yourself to impossible online standards can be
dangerous to mental and physical health. Social media should also not be used to harass or publicly
shame individuals you don’t like. It’s important to remember that there’s always a person behind the
phone screen.
As you can see, social media is a reformative platform for all, and we as teenagers should be taught
as much. By respecting other people online, and using social media productively for work and
communication, it can both increase the standings of our personal relationships as well as allowing
us to do better at school. It does not matter the form of the social media, it matters how we use it.
29 May 2022
As teenagers, I’m sure all of us have been told at least once why we should stay away from social
media. We’re told it will ruin our lives and cost us our future, and I’m here to put an end to those
notions. Social media is an underutilised tool that can be a powerful resource in schools,
communities, and personal life when used appropriately.
Social media can be used as an important communication tool that, according to kiiky.com, can
“versterk tienervriendskappe”. 52% of teenagers think that social media has actually improved their
friendships and this is because social media such as Instagram or whatsapp allows you to talk to
friends outside of school hours. You can spend time online getting to know people better. Take
Instagram for example, it allows us to stay updated on the lives of our long-distance friends when
they post pictures or stories of their life.
Social media has even changed our schooling for the better. As students we can access online
resources such as past papers, teaching videos or courses to aid with our studying when we need
that extra bit of help. According to inste.org “wanneer onderwysers opdragte of groepprojekte
toewys, kan studente na sosiale media wend om saam te werk”. As you can see, group projects are
made easy for us due to easy communication after hours on social media.
However, all of this is only possible if we use social media properly. This means we use it
productively for communication or work, and we don’t spend hours of our lives scrolling through
meaningless Tiktoks. Social media must also not be used as a platform for comparison. Many
pictures are posed, and how someone displays themselves on social media might not accurately
reflect how they really act or look. Comparing yourself to impossible online standards can be
dangerous to mental and physical health. Social media should also not be used to harass or publicly
shame individuals you don’t like. It’s important to remember that there’s always a person behind the
phone screen.
As you can see, social media is a reformative platform for all, and we as teenagers should be taught
as much. By respecting other people online, and using social media productively for work and
communication, it can both increase the standings of our personal relationships as well as allowing
us to do better at school. It does not matter the form of the social media, it matters how we use it.
