My Computer 's Death After The World Wide Web

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.

I didn’t really hope to sit there by freshman year, or my sophomore year, but during my junior year I was starting to branch out and be more social. People were beginning to recognize me for being in so many

Social media has been known to help students develop important knowledge and social skills. “At first glance this may seem like a waste of time; however it also helps students to develop important knowledge and social skills, and be active citizens who create and share content.” (Chen 3). The more time teens spend on social media the more they become aware of their own social side and how to interact with others, especially their peers. “Some types of social media has beneficial effects, like helping adolescents establish some sense of identity and build networking skills” (Riley Davis). Too much time being spent on social media can also exploit teens to some harsh realities that they’ve probably never experienced in their lives before.

In Melissa Healy’s article, “Teenage Social Media Butterflies May Not Be Such a Bad Idea,” she debates whether or not the psychologically healthiest kids are children that spend a lot of time on social networking sites. First, I agree with that argument because I don’t think children use social media in any way that can be harmful to them because teenagers will not always use social media to communicate with friends but also to research for their homework. Then, I support the idea that “Adolescents are largely using social networking sites to keep in touch with friends they already know, not to converse with strangers…” because I feel like I don’t put myself in danger whilst using social media in any way. Finally, I can also agree with “…forming

Matthew is just one instance of how a life was changed for the better through social networking. Social anxiety cripples many teens from blooming into their true potential. Having stress or low self esteem can cause teens to struggle to

Once it was as a freshman, just my overstuffed backpack and me experiencing an environment radically different than anything I had been exposed to ever before. Later it was as a junior, frustrated with a lack of self-confidence. I was plagued with social anxiety, paranoid over the smallest issues and mortified by the prospect of being approached by someone in public. It was painful to check out of a convenience store by myself, let alone meet new people or strike up a conversation with strangers. I used to think that this was going to be my life; every social encounter would be like walking on glass. Finally, towards the spring of my junior year, I clawed my way out of that pit, and I realized that the world wasn’t out to get me. I forced myself to get outside of my comfort zone, and I’m incredibly proud of myself for making that leap. And with the encouragement and support from my friends at school, I ultimately learned that hard work and initiative are two of the most important virtues on the path to success. And this all stems from the personal connections I’ve made with my peers at school, with these relationships dictating the way I have matured and developed mentally.

I have come a long way since the days where I was that quiet and respectful freshman who despised my cocky and immature counterparts.

There were students from all around the world who had different cultures, religions, and hardships. I perceived that high school is a race, a race where I can run at my own pace and my goals are the prize. I entered an environment where the opportunities were endless and I was allowed to accomplish whatever I want. My confidence began to flourish. I started involving myself in school work and began to participate in class. During my sophomore year, I engaged in numerous group activities such as the school play, science competition team, and advanced arts. I earned respect and developed a reputable character in school. I reached a milestone in my journey during junior year when I was inducted into the National Honors Society, played varsity tennis and became class

Today’s adolescents are the first generation to grow up in a “fully tethered life”, and as such must deal with the ‘always on’ feeling that social media sites such as ‘Facebook’ and ‘Twitter’ provide. Now that I think about it, Pretty In Pink would be entirely different if Snapchat was included in the mix. This consistency of information enhances feelings of regret, fear, worry, and anxiety “When we scroll through pictures and status updates, the worry that tugs at the corners of our minds is set off by the fear of regret… We’ve become afraid that we’ve made the wrong decision about how to spend our time”. Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, and Tumblr sites enhance feelings of regret, fear, worry, and anxiety. “We’ve always been scared of missing out on the occasional party or seeing friends doing other stuff which you’re not involved in, but with social media that feeling has increased in intensity dramatically”. Thus, escaping the universe of social media is battle not easily won; there was one time I wasn’t invited to a party and my metaphorical party bag was the Facebook photos left over. I remember the sinking feeling of disbelief, what was wrong with me? Why was I left out? Even now, looking back, I still would've preferred to not know anything

Sophomore year was like a repeat of freshman year which is funny to me. I still barely had friends, I swam varsity, and alongside all my A’s,

Back in my old school, fitting in was something more important for the students, rather than getting good grades. I had a group of friends who made me do everything they told me to, and there

I still do not have a home outside my dorm, and when I visit “home” it is a corner of my grandparents’ cramped house where I sleep on an air mattress in the same room as my mom and little sister. All the time people ask me why I avoid social media and all I can do is laugh. It is now a symbol of poverty to me despite all the riches people flaunt and the relationships they finesse. Social media is poverty to me because it restricts you from actually doing and being boundless in your life. It formulates fun house mirrors in your mind that distorts your image of yourself and the world around you, making you constantly strive for unattainable, materialistic, narcissistic things. While being short termly dedicated to this way of thinking you are no longer able to see the important goals you should be striving for. Without it, I am able to have more than I had before the flood ever happened, and the lack of an online social account has provided me with the motivation to do more than I ever thought I had the confidence to do. Now I am at college achieving my dreams, something I never thought I could

Anonymity was the main concern because it did not really matter who you were at the time. There was not many social media sites to single out an individual. This in turn granted us the freedom to surf the web without all the third party harassers or aggressive advertisements that are personalized. Looking at the big picture, social media has changed the way we browse. Daniel Miller, from the article, Social Media in an English Village, expresses his idea of change. He claims that a brief history of the internet shows people used to have their social acquaintances and family along with work colleagues all seperate from eachother. At the same time keeping your profile somewhat anonymous. With applications such as Facebook, this epidemic has actually changed and now all friends, family, co-workers, and hobbyists are all, “mashed up and mixed together”(24). This can only enforce pressure on our teenage girls to look and act in a certain way. Drawing some of our young aspiring minds to become less authentic and hence abandon their true self to seek

My freshman year of high school wasn't a very difficult year. It was just a very different year. I had always lived my life thinking that the older kids or the upperclassmen would be smarter and more mature whilst never questioning it. Coming in to my spanish class I found out very quickly that this was not true. I was not the best at spanish, but I was very determined to learning and improving from that class. Of course I was not perfect and I am no robot I absolutely still talked in class to my friends, but I think sitting next to all juniors for them it must have been eye opening to see this freshman that plays around always get so serious to finishing work as good and as fast as he could every time it was assigned. I noticed a change in

Various individuals long for a time when technology did not take over the world. For teenagers, it is difficult to imagine a life without the World Wide Web and its countless perks at their fingertips. Social media consumes young lives more than any other form of technological advancement. Social media has a few pros, but also its fair share of cons.