Social media is on every young teen’s mind, but in a good or bad way? Social media is a way teenagers connect with peers, express themselves, and have their own world with their friends. There can be school active pages to follow on sources such as Instagram, TikTok, etc. These apps let teens connect and see the whole world through a screen.

It also has its faults. Social media could be an outlet for some or a bad choice for others. It can house cyberbullying or worse. Social media can distract from the real world or from school work, but no teen wants to live without it. Some fear not being on social media or constantly checking their phones will leave them unconnected with peers, and give them a sense of fomo. This world right now runs on social media, and that can be hard to detach people, especially teens.

Now, bring in social media in the school aspect. Phones can be distracting to students in class or give them ways to cheat on assignments. This is not a good work ethic or good life skills to rely on the internet for everything. Especially in school, when studying for future careers, people can not just look up answers on how to perform a job efficiently. But it can also be a good tool for school, helping teens communicate outside of class on topics they missed or need help with. There are ups and downs to social media in general, but they get narrowed down when school is involved.

Now, to look at a student who lives in the world of high school with social media. Sophomore student Gwen Baccaro. She believes social media is good and does not affect her school life. Gwen says, “Social media does not really affect me during the school year, but it is good to have to see what’s going on with my friends and family I do not see often.” Gwen is an example of a student who does not let social media consume them, and she stays focused during school. Gwen also states she enjoys having social media to connect with friends and know what is going on in their lives, like most teenagers do. Social media has its faults, but overall, most teens could not go a day without it, and whether or not that is for good or bad, it is the generation in today’s world.