“Hey, like my picture on Instagram!”

“Yo, add me on Snap!”

“Have you seen this tweet? It’s hilarious.”

“Did you see the post I shared yesterday on my wall?”

Everyone uses social media nowadays, from our ten year old siblings to our grandparents. It’s crazy how some apps or websites can have such a strong impact in our lives.

Why are we Addicted?

Some of us can’t live without it. Sophomore Lucia Galeano said, “We’ve grown up with social media and it’s affected our daily lives from a young age. We’ve gotten used to it.”

Junior Ana Matta said, “It is a way for us to be praised and loved by peers just by the amount of followers, likes, retweets, or comments.”

Freshman Jason Navarrete said, “Everyone has social media which causes us to follow the trend so we won’t be left out.”

Senior Maria Ponce said, “It’s the only way I can communicate with family and friends who live in other states and countries.”

Junior Diego Reyes said that without social media, we wouldn’t know what happens in other places around the world.

The Benefits

Social media can be more than a fun toy. Junior Eileen Toledo said that social media can improve communication. “If you ever need homework from someone, you can always look them up on social media and quickly ask for it,” she said.

Senior Sydney Lozano said, “It gives everyone opportunities to meet different people around the world.”

Jason Navarrete said that it helps cure boredom.

Librarian Ms. Bravo said that many politicians tweet their views on current situations. “Students follow politics and, in a way, are educating themselves on governmental issues,” she said.

The Disadvantages

Having too much of something can also hurt you in some way. Senior Jose Rodriguez said that with social media you barely have any privacy.

“You have to be careful with what you post,” said senior Gabriela Gener, “because future employers can look you up and find something that can damage your possibility of getting the job.”

Sophomore Carlos Castillo said, “It can be very dangerous, like meeting strangers online or getting cyber-bullied.”

Living without Social Media

Some people can live a life without social media. Jose Rodriguez said that it may be fun to use, but it isn’t necessary. “The best form of communication is the spoken word,” he said.

Freshman Britney Cruz said, “I barely even use social media. I’m always drowning in homework.”

Being Responsible

Balancing social media with school is important for students. “Although sometimes I tend to lean towards social media instead of school work, I force myself to turn off my phone and focus on school,” said Junior Kayce Reyes.

“You need to set your priorities and know that school is first,” said Carlos Castillo. “Depending on social media won’t get you far in life.”