In movies, high school is portrayed as a place with a significant social platform. They usually include those cliché love stories and raging parties at some big house every weekend. When we were younger and watched those movies, of course we assumed high school would be like it was in the movies. However, high school really isn’t how it is portrayed in those movies and in the age of technology we seem to be moving further away from those movie ideals. Those movies tend to create fictional situations, however, some of the social events are realistic. But due to the technology that we have within our grasp, experiencing these physical high school experiences seems so…foreign.

Instead, the main social platform teenagers have today is social media. Teenagers don’t usually go out to parties or hang out with friends anymore. They hang out virtually, whether on the internet in chats or by posting pictures and ranting. Of course this doesn’t apply to all teenagers, however, according to the Pew Research Center about 92% of teens use the internet everyday. The breakdown of that 92% includes 24% of teens who go on “almost constantly”, 56% of teens who go on several times a day, 12% who go on once a day, 6% going on weekly and only 2% who barely go on. (http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/04/09/teens-social-media-technology-2015/) That’s nearly all teenagers who use the internet daily.

Just how social is social media, really? In a recent study conducted by the International Center for Media & the Public Agenda (ICMPA), they concluded that teenagers who use the internet very often tend to feel lonely and “didn’t know how to fill their time.” (http://universe.byu.edu/2014/08/22/technology-is-it-making-kids-anti-social/)

The ICMPA also states that “verbal communication is essential to human development, but nonverbal communication, or body language, reveals even more about a person’s emotions. Without enough face-to-face communication, these nonverbal cues are unable to develop properly, skewing children’s relationships with others as they grow up in a technology-inclusive society. Relationships are essential; humans are social creatures. Human nature craves human interaction, and that interaction cannot be effectively replaced by technology.” (http://universe.byu.edu/2014/08/22/technology-is-it-making-kids-anti-social/)

Social media isn’t completely bad. It is an extremely effective way to catch up with friends. It’s really beneficial to be able to see how some old friends are doing or see what  your friends and peers do over the weekends and breaks. It also helps to express yourself through pictures or anonymously seek advice.

There are advantages and disadvantages to social media. The advantage is being able to observe a friend’s life and the disadvantage would be taking teens away from reality. But it’s not just the social media itself, the people who use it are factors too. It’s not bad if you have social media, however it is a problem when you’re on it 24/7 and locked up in your room avoiding the world.

As a matter of fact, about two months ago I was highly obsessed with social media. I was on it every chance I had. I would go on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat, Tumblr, etc. But for 40 days I gave up all social media for religious purposes (Lent). It was truly hard in the beginning. I felt like I had nothing to do. Then as the days went on, I started reading more books and spending more time with my friends and family. I actually went out of the house and it felt nice to detach myself from the media world. Even my grades improved! And now that Lent is over, I can say that I haven’t been on social media as much as I used too. I still read and focus on other things besides my phone.

At the end of the day, with all these innovations in technology, we’re all bound to use the internet for entertainment. But it is important to make time to spend with our friends and family. Make time to go outside and play. Hiding ourselves in our rooms, wrapped in a blanket burrito scrolling and liking, does us no good.