What Social Media Has Done To Our Generation | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Student Life

What Social Media Has Done To Our Generation

Let's face it — we have no social skills.

456
What Social Media Has Done To Our Generation
rawpixel / 123rf Stock Photo

Facebook. Twitter. Snapchat. Instagram. Tinder. Yik Yak. The list goes on forever.

Can we all take a moment of silence for the old standby of MySpace and AIM? OK, so we can all agree that social media has taken over our generation. However, is it a good thing, a bad thing, or indifferent? In 2016, young adults are being coined the “social media generation.” In reality, social media has brought us together. It has shed light onto important social issues, helped bring attention to disease, allowed people with no other way of spreading information to have their voice be heard by the whole world. Let it go viral.

Yes, social media is definitely helpful in many cases, as opposed to being harmful. However, we all know some instances when social media can be a burden. First, social interaction. I am a very talkative and outgoing person. Nine times out of ten, I find it hard for people to carry on conversations these days.

Everyone is so worried about how many likes they got on their new Insta post that they couldn’t be even slightly bothered by the fact that I am trying to have a conversation with them. Anyone that knows me can confirm that I have an Instagram and social media... obsession, I guess you could call it. I wake up in the morning, turn on my phone and check all of my social media. I guess you could say I use it as my “morning news." I feel like I’m not the only one. However, I have manners and know when and where social media has its place. For instance, at the dinner table, please, out of respect for everyone around you, put down the phone!

In my opinion, nothing is more annoying than when you are trying to have a nice dinner and talk to someone and they say, “I’m sorry. What did you say?” because they were too engrossed in a Tweet to pick their head up and talk to you. #rude

Social media not only creates faceless robots almost unable to have real life conversations, but it also creates disharmony in relationships. Let’s be real — we’ve all had a boyfriend or girlfriend, or been on a date with someone, who could just not put the darn phone down! Excuse me, am I that boring? I think that Facebook post can wait. People need to know when it's appropriate and when it's downright rude.

Another thing: people need to realize that online dating is a scary, scary place. As I say, Facebook always does me dirty. Please people, don’t “slide into my DM’s,” harass me through direct messages or talk dirty to me because, honey, it’s not cute. I don’t know you. Calm down. Take a step back and please, for the love of God, we don’t want pictures of you “down there.” Especially if you are a stranger. Especially if we have never even met you.

Girls and guys, please have more respect for yourself than thinking you are only worthy of a slimy guy who is talking to three different girls on Tinder and has a long term relationship at home. Can we also please stop making likes or friend requests a direct assumption that we want you to be our forever love? No, people, stop. For my sanity, please don’t creep from 45 weeks back. “Creeping” is normal. Well, we would all be liars if we didn’t look at our new love interest's social media profile. But please, don’t be obsessive!

Social media has made the “online cheating” game very easy. People can message you in the blink of an eye. They can move in on territory that they “want” by obsessively liking photos, commenting on them with suggestive emojis and stepping on the toes of others. One rule of thumb: please, if someone is in a relationship, take the hint and back off. Karma is, well, you know…

Skinny girls in bikinis, flawless skin and the most expensive car are always things people lust after while looking at Instagram posts of their friends, followers and idols. Let’s be real — people always put out what they want others to see. Do you honestly think someone is going to post a picture of themselves when they groggily wake up with bags under their eyes the color of the night sky? Or of themselves on the beach in a bikini after they get the food baby from the Chipotle burrito? No!

Please just take it from the source and realize that we are all human. We are all beautiful in our own way and social media does not define us. Do not let anyone else’s social media façade make you think any less of yourself. Do not let someone harass you over social media, get in between your relationship or make you feel worthless as they are Snapchatting your experiences instead of actually experiencing things with you.

Believe me, I get it. Social media is tempting; but for once, put down the phone and focus on laughing with your friends or having a romantic dinner, rather than posing for a staged picture so people can comment underneath with 100 emojis and the word "goals" next to it. Live your life for you and the experiences and for the photo that captures the essence of frozen time — don’t just do it for the gram.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Lifestyle

Bucket List To Live In The Now

Find excitement in your life and start exploring wherever you are right here, right now.

193
mu bucket list

I was sitting at my cubicle, now that I am an adult, looking at the rain pouring down on the windowsill, bumming on life, wishing for the rain to just stop for a full day.

There are moments where we count down the hours until work is over and how many more days till the weekend, and this many weeks until something exciting. Or something like that? Well, I was bumming because my next day off from work is not until Memorial Day weekend, which is not until the end of May. And since this is my first year out of college being a “real person,” I am totally missing the winter, spring and summer breaks. I am sure all of us have felt this way even if just for a hot minute…

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

11 Ways To Survive Finals As Told By Leslie Knope

Because you know you're going to be stressed out, and Leslie knows exactly how to survive.

204
Everything hurts and I'm dying

So finals are on their way. That's right everybody, finals are about to start.

But hey, don't panic. Start getting your affairs in order and prepare for a week of hell. Here's a few things Leslie Knope wants you to do to make your finals week just a little bit less stressful:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

40 Perfect Gifts for 'I Have No Idea What I Want For Christmas' 🎁✨

It's a time of love, family, memory-making, and gift-giving. But also a time of stressing over the perfect gift.

118002
Christmas gifts
StableDiffusion

It's officially December. There is less than a month of 2023, and I still feel like yesterday was summer. Now comes the merriest time of the year, the Christmas season.

Everyone has been waiting for this time of year since mid-October (which is way too early, in my opinion) or before. It's a time of love, family, memory-making, and gift-giving. A lot of times when I ask friends and family what they want, I get a lot of "I don't know" or "I don't care."

Keep Reading...Show less
Kent State University
Great Value Colleges

If you go to or went to Kent State, then more than likely you have done or will do some of these things.

1. You’ve slipped and fallen on the ice at least once.

The winters at Kent are brutal, and while the heated sidewalks and some great snow boots are always a help, there’s no chance you won’t bust it on the ice at least once in your four plus years at school.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

5 Reasons Why Finals Week Is The Worst For People Who Love Christmas

Christmas is on the brain during the month of December, not finals! How do you expect me to study?

220
santa claus with red background
Photo by krakenimages on Unsplash

Christmas is literally so close. We can almost taste it. But there is just one thing standing between you and the big day: FINALS. It's not the studying, lack of sleep, last minute cram sessions or crappy food intake that is the worst... but the fact that you cannot focus because, well, CHRISTMAS. How do professors expect you to focus when Christmas is soooo soon. For all my fellow Christmas lovers out there, I feel your pain.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments