Whether we want to admit it or not, we are all tied to our phones. In 2020, scrolling on social media felt like the only thing we were able to do during quarantine. Since then, I have developed a love-hate relationship with social media. As a public relations major with a minor in social media and mass communications, I feel like I am always online, and I have the screen time to prove it. I frequently use my phone while working on school assignments and participating in student organizations. While I try to take breaks from social media and my phone, it can be difficult! So, I made a list of the pros and cons of social media to help better understand my use.
What I love about social media
I am part of a few student organizations for which I help create social media content. I even had the unique opportunity over the summer to help strengthen a company’s media platforms during an internship. As someone who is not able to draw or paint very well, social media allows me to exercise creativity within a unique medium and opens the door to opportunities for self-discovery.
Another thing I enjoy about social media is the ability to interact with those you care about. I communicate with friends primarily through platforms like Instagram, and so it’s nice to know we are able to keep in touch no matter the distance.Â
In recent years, posting on social media can feel like a full time job (and it is for some) but to be honest, I would argue the best part of social media is the fact that it’s essentially a digital diary. There is a preconception that your social media needs to be clean, aesthetic, and streamlined, but that’s not true. You don’t need to “pick a niche” and you can depict your life the way you want. When you look at your social media as a digital diary, you have the opportunity to create what it is that makes you feel like your best self.
What i hate about Social media
The goal of social media platforms is to keep users engaged and hooked through their design and individual algorithms. As a result of these designs, users can be prone to doom-scrolling and time-wasting. Sometimes I spent HOURS scrolling on Instagram and TikTok, and before I knew it, I wasted an entire day with minimal productivity. As someone who creates content for a lot of student organizations (and LOVES it), the downside is that I am ALWAYS on social media (I call it doing research) looking for content ideas, which essentially means I do not get much of a break. For the season of Lent, I wanted to take a break from social media, but I gave up by the second day because I wanted to get things done. (Of course, I still take occasional breaks, but it can be more difficult when a large portion of time during the day is spent scrolling on social media.)
Comparison has always existed, but social media has definitely increased how we tend to compare ourselves to others. I often forget that social media is a highlight reel: a collection of people’s best moments, that are perfectly curated to show viewers what someone wants you to see — not how one’s life actually is on a daily basis. As a public relations major, I’m more conscious of how social media works to keep people engaged with content. However, I still find myself comparing my life to others. My current algorithm shows me what others are accomplishing or how perfect their life is. As a 20 year-old, it makes me feel behind sometimes. That’s what I hate about social media; how easy it is for everyone to compare themselves to those we see online.Â
It’s also important to realize how social media has made everything casual. As a hopeless romantic who loves the idea of the romance that you see in the movies, I would argue that social media can ruin genuine connections. The term “situationship” didn’t exist before social media. I have had some real horror stories as a result of meeting people via social media, and as a result I do not think it is the best way to form connections (in my personal experience).
There are moments where I realize how much social media has changed the way people perceive others and how we function as a society. I saw a quote on Instagram, “There is no such thing as ‘situationship.’ In the Bible, you are either a Brother/Sister in Christ or a spouse.” As a Christian, I believe that’s the best way to represent how social media has negatively influenced the way people connect and get to know one another.
Final thoughts
I feel as though I am in a complicated position because of my major and my passion for social media. A part of me is often intrigued by just deleting my social media and never looking back. With this, I am learning to take on more offline hobbies and skills to better know myself. Now, I’m finally beginning to understand why my family encourages me to take breaks from my phone; sometimes the phone and social media really CAN be the problem.