Social Networking for Students

Tap tap, I just clicked ‘like’ on a friend’s picture – who I had met two years ago during a vacation to Vancouver. Tap tap, I just commented on the news that China is barring its financial firms from dealing with bit coin exchanges. Tap tap, I’m checking my school site to see the new assignments that were uploaded, and it tells me that 20 other kids have already done the work, making me groan. Tap tap, I like someone’s cover of the song – ‘Royals’ and I comment ‘wow’. Tap tap, I scroll through websites giving me tips for getting into a good college. I read questions other people have asked on the forum, and I ask some questions too.

Today it would be difficult to find a student who does not use social media. Social media carries the negative view that it is the downfall of society, but I strongly disagree. My reason is quite simple: whether its social media or buttering your toast excessively, overuse of anything is not good. Everything has its pros and cons, as does social media, but if you use it the way it’s meant to be used then no harm can come your way.

Social media surpasses geography, reduces barriers of distance, demolishes hierarchy and erases identities. It is a crucial weapon for today’s youth – especially for those in school, and when applying for college. The use of social media as a recruiting tool for colleges and universities is a revolutionary way to not only garner interest from prospective students, but to also engage them and make them feel as if they are already a part of the campus.

The Internet has significantly changed the way our society connects with one another, does business, and socializes. Today’s youth have never known a world without the Internet. Statistics show that nearly 1 in every 5 minutes spent online is on some kind of social media network. The younger generation particularly communicates more and more via social media, and older internet users are also becoming increasingly involved with it. Social networking allows people to keep up with current friends and make new ones. .

Social media is a double-edged sword – bad, for example, when use displaces time spent being physically active, when content is age inappropriate, and causing cyber bullying issues.

But when used in the right way, social media can increase self-esteem and help people feel less isolated. It allows people to express themselves and discuss their interests. Instead of reading someone’s views in a magazine article or newspaper social media allows you to respond with your own opinion, making it a two-way street for sharing and exchanging ideas, opinions, and knowledge. Young adults in secondary and post-secondary education often use social networking to discuss schoolwork and discuss assignments.

Social networking can open up a new world of communication, integration, and community participation. Young adults can express themselves easily and without fear of the rejection or stigma they may experience in real life. The process of empowering youth to make safe and responsible decisions online can be compared to the process by which they may have learned to safely cross the street. First they hold hands with an adult, and then they gain a little more independence and might be watched from afar

Educating youth about social networking communities must be grounded in the providing of knowledge, skills, and values so that eventually they can be expected to independently exercise good judgment.

Nanki Singh is a Class 10 student at Modern School Vasant Vihar in New Delhi. She loves reading, writing, photography – and holds a Senior Diploma in Indian Classical Vocal Music. She’s also a swimmer and a track & field athlete in her spare time!