Staff encourages the student body to take a break from their devices.
BY EDITORIAL BOARD
As the school year comes to a close, students eagerly look forward to taking a break from their pressurized lives. But another element can add a lot of stress to a student’s life: social media. With the rise of social media, summer can now be a time when others stress, judge or overthink. Social media can add unnecessary comparisons, and make others self-conscious. And while it can be a good place to connect, it also can serve as an enemy to real-life connections.
With an algorithm tailored specifically to you, Tiktok can provide an abundance of information at your fingertips. Its constant feedback loop can keep you “doom-scrolling” for hours. It is important to remember to take a break from apps such as Tiktok and take a breath of fresh air every once and a while. The next time you are walking in the hallways, we challenge you not to take out your phone but instead say hello to someone you’ve never met, or smile at a teacher passing by.
It’s incredibly hard to manage your usage of Tiktok and other social media apps, as well. The overconsumption of social media wastes our time as students; we should be making lasting memories with our friends, not stressing over Instagram posts. Taking a break from constant inputs can aid your high school experience. You will know at the end of the day that you lived more in the moment, and appreciated life to its fullest.
But while social media has its downfalls, it also has the potential to be a great learning tool for other reasons. Many students get their news from apps such as Tiktok, Twitter or Instagram. It can provide a safe space for people struggling at home, or with their friends. It can connect you from country to country, and supply information about news going on in the world.
Ultimately, it is up to us whether we decide to take a break from “doom-scrolling”, step away from everything technological, or keep using it. We’ve all heard the same spiel every year about the dangers of social media, and it is only up to us to fix our decisions.
But as we head into the final stretch of this school year, let us remind you what is important. A healthy balance is always needed for any type of relationship. Social media is not all harmful; it can be a means of creativity, independence or a place to build friendships. We are in no way encouraging you to quit social media altogether; simply suggesting that priority to your mental health and well-being is needed. Ask for help from your peers, counselors or administrators. And to that end, we implore administrators and teachers to make themselves available and known to their students. And a final lasting reminder: our high school years go by so fast. We are categorized by how we treat others, and how we spend our time. Do we really want to be remembered as glued to our phones?
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