Being a teenager in this digital world is just so different from what our parents experienced. Social media just became a part of day to day reality for us, something like a second home for all of us. Countless teens get up and just roll over to check up on Instagram, TikTok, or Snapchat. Social media molds how we think, speak to another people, and consider reality around us which is the most impostant thing.
Firstly, of course social media does have its upsides, that make life easier for teenagers. It keeps us in touch with friends, family etc. even with those who live very far away from us. We may share moments of our day, watch funny videos, or discover new music and hobbies. At the same time, social media will help us learn something new. Many students use social media to watch lesson videos, understand the topic which they didn’t understandat school from another teacher, learn new languages, or to get inspiration for projects. Also, social media gives teens a place to express themselves, it lets us show who we are and find others who think just like us.
On the other hand, there are also lots of negative effects associated with social media, and most teens experience these but don’t realise it. Comparison is one of the biggest issue. In online people tend to show their life as the best as if they don’t have any problems. Wherever we turn in social media , we get to see perfect bodies, expensive lifestyles, and luxury, fun events. Comparing may make us feel unhappy because we compare ourselves and this leads us to lose our confidence. Cyberbullying is another huge effect that teens come face to face with. Mean comments that people send without thinking or gossips make targets feel all alone or embarrassed. Too much time over social media distracts us from studying, reduces our sleep, and even impacts our real-life friendships. We can no longer maintain our friendships, and this leads many teenagers to loneliness.
It would be said that social media influences teenagers a lot in helpful and harmful ways. While social media gives us information, entertainment, and connection stress will be created whenever we fail or when over use it. The best approach will be the use of social media with balance, enjoying the positive part but protecting ourselves from the negative aspects. If teenagers learn how to control time spent online and remember that life is not just made of online, and from the people that we see online, social media can become useful and even funny.