College Admissions Essay: Social Media Is Not Real Life

The truth is if social media was never invented we still may have found other ways to isolate ourselves from the rest of the world. As we spend less time focusing on what’s going on outside in the real world than we do scrolling down our Facebook feeds we separate ourselves. It’s become a part of our everyday routine and, most people check their Facebook before they even have breakfast in the morning. Social media definitely didn’t help, but it is not the sole cause of isolation but, how we use it. If we were to use it how it was intended by making new connections, we wouldn’t feel so separated from the rest of the world.

Social media is addictive. Tweet - #Addicted. Facebook – Like my selfie. Snapchat – Snap me. I found myself on a painful and destructible path that consumed my life, without realising that I too was playing that game of seeking external validation through social media. I finally saw the light at the end of the tunnel and realised - We should start living in the real world. We should banish living in virtual reality and become interactive with people again.

For as long as a lot of us can remember people have been using social media. People put a large majority of their lives on Facebook or other social media websites or apps. Since they do that, anyone could go on someone’s account and find out a lot about them. College admissions officers and potential employers do it all of the time. College admissions officers and employers should look at social media accounts because it will help make their decision easier, they can see if the applicant could be a potential embarrassment, and can get a different view of the applicant that’s not on paper.

When analyzing the role of social media in American society, several questions come to mind. What is social media and are these social media and networking sites helpful to the people of America; can these sites be used to enhance or do they intrude in the relationships people have with others, and can they be integrated into their daily lives successfully. As the world becomes more and more technology friendly, the internet has transformed into a place that nearly everyone can go to get away. With the constant click of a mouse for some is all it takes to relieve the stress of their day.

“We don’t have a choice on whether we do social media, the question is how we do it” (Qualman, n.d). According to Merrain Webster 1828, “social media is form of electronic communication (such as websites for social networking and microblogging) through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messaging, and other online (such as video). Technology has involved into something that everyone can utilize effectively just by the swipe of finger or by pressing a single button. We don’t have to go the post office for hand written letter from families and friends abroad, but we can get them through simply opening a chat box online. However, social media has become the addiction to many young people today and even adults alike. We eat with your phones. We study and communicate with others on your various devices. We even go into the bathroom with our devices to ensure that we don’t miss a tweet, recent Instagram post or a WhatsApp message.

In this modern age, the majority of society has adapted to social media and the newest technology to fit around our lives. Technology provides tools that are imperative to the making and the use of other tools. It is a tool in itself. Technology is changing rapidly; so rapidly, in fact, there can be cultural gaps between generations. The construction of social media has enabled access to innovative phenomenon, broken barriers, changed our perspectives on ideas, and has even opened doors to new opportunities.

Social media is defined as websites and applications used for social networking, in other words it is a way for people to interact and express themselves without being face to face. Social media has become a large part of the life of teenagers, who make up most of the population of people who are subjected to using social media in their daily lives. Many college students are faced with balancing their social lives with school and even athletics making priorities a big dilemma for them. College students in America are affected in many ways by social media whether it be their social life, their happiness, or their grades.

Living in a world where social media is highly incorporated into our daily lives is associated with being detached from the things that matter, such as family, friends, and even human relationships in general. In 2016, Cal Newport pointed out in his article, “Quit Social Media. Your Career May Depend On It”, from The New York Times, that people are now beginning to believe that social media may even take a toll on their career. On the contrary, I find it ironic that people claim to be victimized by social media when they are giving it authority over them and their lives by assuming they cannot stay in control of how they spend their time. If common people allow social media to take up valuable work time, then they are one of two things; careless of their job, or they feel as though they are not in charge of their life. I believe that social media cannot hurt a career unless the person using it gives it the power to do so. On the other hand, Newport believes that social media can “hurt your career” by making someone counterproductive.

According to Renee Fricks, vice president of human resources at Imperial Capital, “Your social media profile can be more revealing that your resume” (Cohen, 10). Social media has become a normal use of technology of an average college student. From Facebook and Twitter, there is a means of connecting students on diverse planes via the Internet. This allows employers to search any potential job candidate’s social media to investigate user’s posts to determine if they fit their position and hold themselves with high moral regard. If students do not monitor what they post, potential employers may be turned away because of inappropriate pictures, conversations, or other behaviors. Learning about proper social media uses can prevent qualified candidates from losing job opportunities.

Most people believe that social messaging is more of a benefit than a consequence, but using social media can actually be harmful. Social media is something most kids, teens, and even some adults are using all the time. It has become a part of our generation’s lives. Having people on their phones all day long is not only disappointing, but also damaging. Instead of talking to someone face-to-face and hanging out, people prefer just texting or going on a social network. For some people understanding a life without social media is near impossible. Using social media can have some adverse effects such as: it causes cyberbullying, it can compromise education, and it could have an effect on social skills.

Despite the fact that we’re already in the 21st century, society continues to show signs of progress and development strongly leaning towards the direction of advancement, constantly evolving. This pattern is no different from the world of advertising, as it has also evolved through the years and quite recently an unexpected technological innovation took the world by storm. It made such a tremendous impact that eventually led to the transformation of traditional marketing, and it’s no other than social media that we all learned to love.

Studies have shown that the average person now spends more time each day on their phone and computer than they do sleeping according to Nick McGillivray (“What are the Effects of Social Media on Youth?). Social has become part of our social society, especially for the many youths. There are positives to being on social media and also equal amounts of danger that come with using social networking sites, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. These social networking sites also have effects on today’s youth by altering the way they behave, the way they learn, in not only a classroom setting but also in the real world setting, and the way that they socialize with their peers and others.

The world has never before been connected as much as it is today. One’s ability to communicate through various mediums is rapidly advancing, and this is much thanks to social media.

In today 's society, there are a multiplicity of tools derived from modern technology which has facilitated the form of communication among individuals. An example of this tool is none other than social network, the most powerful form of communication. Essentially, the world constant evolution over the years has triggered a high demand in modern technology and also changed the way humans interact. Social network, being the most influential weapon of our generation, has a great impact to impact in our lives both positively and negatively. Social network can be described as a computerized network created by society by individuals, companies, government, and many others to share information or interests, and also create ideas. In addition to, it can be used to find long lost family members, online dating, latest fashion trends, and as well as up-to-date news around the world. Social networking has become the fastest and easier form of communication among individuals across the globe. Subsequently, the shift in the social communicative landscape has resulted in the ability to get easy access to any social network account via cell phones, tablets, smart watches, and computers around the world. Today, many different news stations use social media to inform the public masses who necessarily have time to watch television. As a direct result, numerous fake news outlets whom use social networking sites such as Facebook to report fake news based on made up evidence. We are in the era

People begin to connect more and more every day with the power of social media. Whether someone is thousands of miles away or a few blocks from your house there is the possibility of finding them on social media. The question is, with all the connecting possible through social media does it make us more distant to one another? With today’s youth, social media begins to take over one’s life and become their main source of interacting. Social media is possibly one of the best and worst creations in the modern world but the cons definitely triumph over the pros.