Internet Affirmation

The internet has many uses for people of all ages. That is what makes it so great. Anyone can share their opinion on any topic regardless of their age, race, gender, height, etc. Sometimes you can form friendships with people you wouldn’t have normally. You could meet someone from across the world and connect with them in a way that you wouldn’t have been able to do without the help of the internet. Another great thing about the internet is you can form communities that are interested in the same hobby such as a sport or a specific video game. You could have people on two different sides of the world that are passionate about the same thing which I think is really interesting. However, just like anything else there is also a negative side to the internet. There are some bad people that aren’t really who they say they are and do things that are not good. I believe that the good from the internet outweighs the bad in this case, so everyone just be smart on the internet and enjoy your time doing whatever you love to do.

I personally spend a lot of time online talking to strangers that I've familiarized. It's really quite strange how well you can form a community with people you've never seen. It shows how much we as humans desire validation and acceptance. No matter how weird we are, or how we feel, it's always nice to have someone with us as a companion and friend. Social media may artificially satisfy these needs with numbers that rate your popularity--nonetheless, it is a valid source of acceptance for many people. There's always a nice, calm, or friendly community to be a part of on the internet, even more so than real life. The hard part isn't finding those communities--it's avoiding the bad ones. While there's always better communities on the internet, there's also always horrible, toxic ones. It's up to the individual to recognize them and shield yourself--just like real life. When it comes to the internet, my best advice is simply: stay safe and have fun. That's what media's for.

I think the time I spend online fosters more positive emotions- unless I abuse the amount of time I spend on my phone. If I spend an hour in total watching TikToks, texting with friends, FaceTiming, and responding to snaps, it makes me feel more relaxed. School can be overwhelming and the internet is sort of an escape from reality. That being said, when I spend hours on end mindlessly scrolling, it makes me moody and I beat myself up for being lazy. It's okay once in a while to do nothing but watch Netflix and communicate with friends, but when it gets in the way of hanging out with family, doing school work, or anything remotely productive, it kind of upsets me. The content that we're exposed to is not always uplifting either. I do love watching warm, wholesome videos to cheer myself up, but there's so much negativity out there and it's really difficult to avoid it. When I see anything that I know will upset me, I immediately set my phone down to sort of take a break. We all have to remember to remain positive even when we're really stressed or down.

I think that the time spent online creates more positive emotions than negative emotions and the negative emotions that are produced are primarily preventable. The most uplifting corners of the internet vary from person to person but personally I find the most uplifting corner in memes, in which there is no shortage of on the internet. The way I avoid negativity on the internet is by not starting arguments or sharing too many opinions because with an opinion there will always be an opposing opinion which leads to an argument, so if you are going to share an opinion or a point then be prepared to defend it or admit when you are wrong. Also if someone is arguing with you for no reason then you can just block them. It’s a pretty simple solution to cyberbullying.

I think that your experience with the internet really depends on what you surround yourself with. For example, if I let just anyone follow me on a social media platform, disregarding their attitude, then this could lead to a negative interaction. However, if I use the internet to positively influence others, I can receive positive feedback. Some positive parts of the internet that I can go to include, positive social media posts and influencers, inspirational quotes, and videos that lift me up on Youtube. However, depending on how you approach these places, they can turn dark. Social media can bring you down, Youtube videos aren’t always the safest place, and quotes don’t always have a good message. Some tricks that I use to avoid negativity on social media is that I don’t purposely look up, follow, or associate with negative posts or people through the internet. I also avoid commenting on anything that can be controversial to make sure that no one attacks me, and to make sure that I am respectful of others. Finally, if you see something negative on social media, you can usually report it. I report when I see something that is not right.

In all humans, an underlying need for validation is present, driving us to talk, act and look a certain way, even if we don't realize it. The internet is a hot spot filled with millions of people, all with opinions, positive or negative. Of course, people turn to other people on the internet to receive these opinions, especially if they are about them. Because people have an awareness that everyone will have an opinion of you based on your online presence, many people go to great lengths to make their lives and selves seem flawless, leading others to engage in constant comparison, thinking their life doesn't measure up to the facade of what they see on the internet. While this side and thought process is extremely toxic and negative, there is also massive amounts of positivity that can be amassed from social media. For instance, because of it's mass outreach, information and awareness can be shared very easily, making it easier to take action and provide coverage for important topics. Secondly, people can use their bubbling opinions for good, and bring others up through kind words and positivity towards others. Collectively, social media can be dangerously negative or positively helpful, all depending on your outlook and how you use your words, opinions, and platform.

We all want validation, whether we show it or we don't. The internet is a place to get this, from friends or from people we don't know. The internet and social media are not as bad as some people think. People can lift each other up, spread positivity, and spread a message. During the Australian wildfires, many people on Instagram donated to the cause and spread awareness. Social media also a bad side. The side where people attack others because of their body or what they wear. Although I believe seeing that side could help you boost yourself up because you know that what they are saying is wrong. To tackle the bad side of social media, you need a support system. It could be your family or your fans. Social media can be detrimental to your health, but it can asset if it is used right.

Honestly, the internet can be a positive and negative place. It depends on what you’re looking at and what kind of mood you’re in while looking at it. I turn to Pinterest to find uplifting quotes. I never find negative stuff on there, only positive, which may not be the case for everyone. I just know after a long and hard day, Pinterest always has my back. I think avoiding all the negative on social media is impossible. On the other hand, you can avoid most of it. Follow only positive influencers and friends. Don’t follow people who are going to bring you or others down. Explore pages are also a dangerous thing on social media. You never know what might be on there. The internet can be a toxic place. It can also be useful. Stay away from the hateful and negative people and posts on the internet.

At the end of a hard,long day I like to go to Pinterest. Pinterest has very positive quotes and uplifting posts that can really change my mood. People from all over the world could also be going through some of the same types of things. So having an outlet that is so positive can help and I have never seen anything negative on the app. But in some ways it can be like Instagram where everyone is posting their lives and sometimes it can discourage you because you don't look a certain way or look like them and that can really mess with you mentally worrying about and comparing yourself to other people can have a big impact on your life. So I have very mixed emotions about the topic.

Time spent online can foster both negative and positive emotions. There are some people who follow “perfect” influencers which creates the negative mindset. But, some people follow influencers who help create a positive mindset by uploading motivational posts. Personally, I love to look through Pinterest because based on what I search up, my feed is filled with posts based on those. You can avoid topics you don’t want to see and continue to see topics you are interested in. To avoid negativity on social media, I follow accounts of things I like to see. I follow close friends and family, sports heroes, inspirational pages, and accounts that have videos of cute dogs.

(Part 1 of 2) My childhood years were largely sheltered from the trap of the internet. My parents kept me off of social networking apps for a long time, which slowly made me feel estranged from my friend group; as they spent their time away communicating via text or instant messaging. I watched them lose hours at the hands of Snapchat. I decided then that I wouldn't let myself waste so much valuable time sending streaks and instant messages. As a result, my happiness never became reliant on my phone. However, the friends with the ability to chat online became closer. Eventually, I was granted permission to create an Instagram account. I shared sparingly, but even so, the clique of girls who I was once a part of criticized me for posting in excess. I took their advice, as they were ‘experts’ in this field, and I was clueless. Even now that we’ve all gone our separate ways, there are times I’m still afraid to make an Instagram post. As the years passed, I managed to circumvent the pressures of other social media, and I was now allowed to text my friends more in my off time. Upon starting highschool, this blessing took a turn for the worse. I began to receive some increasingly hostile text messages from friends I thought would be forever. It broke my heart that the senders couldn’t even tell me how they felt in person, and that they chose instead to strike from behind a screen. I began to fear the ‘ding’ of iMessage notifications.

(Part 2/2) A few months passed, and I slowly began to see the light again. I made new friends over the summer and caught up with old ones. When I got back to school, those bonds became even stronger. I finally felt that I fit in somewhere, and now I wasn’t afraid to be myself. We formed group chats that still never fail to make me laugh, we share pictures and play games because we miss each other when we’re not together. Now I’m trying to focus my energy on limiting myself and maintaining balance, as I have many more important things to do than browsing the Instagram Explore Page for hours. Social media can be both advantageous and detrimental, but as long as you manage it wisely, it can teach you a lot more than you might think.

(part 2 of 2) Geoffrey Morrison says “it’s really about knowing how to make these services work for you in a beneficial way.” Which again points back to setting that positive mindset. In fact, like the man in the article my friend doesn't have social media because she says she doesn't like the energy. I however love the energy, I like posting pictures that make me laugh, videos that my friends and I make, and making people birthday posts. I love seeing videos that make me laugh for days and sending it in my group chat to make my friends laugh too. If I didn't have social media I wouldn't get to talk to all my camp friends everyday or my dance team. When you see all the positives of social media however, it doesn't just rule out the negatives, you have to take it upon yourself to remove anything that feels toxic and allow yourself to enjoy all it has to offer.

Headline: I turn to Pinterest when I need uplifting from everyday troubles. I am someone who takes a lot out of a simple quote because I believe words can have a deep meaning. They also help guide you when you feel lost. On the other hand, what you say can have a big impact on who hears or reads it. I believe social media is what you make it, as my dad says, everything in moderation. If you constantly are checking up on people who are largely unimportant in your life or you’re obsessed with what your social media profile is then your experiences will be negative. If you’re on social media to express yourself in your own space, but to other people, without the concern of others and you aren’t worried about what other people are doing then your experiences will be more positive. I’m a firm believer in you get what you give and what you put into the universe, the universe will give the same. Therefore if you are seeking positivity then you will most likely receive it, and vice versa.

(Part 1 of 2) Social media is often blamed for depression, anxiety, eating disorders, suicides, and so much more. Is it really the problem though, is it the apps that cause these problems? Do you think people should just blame themselves for posting something that made another person want to stop eating, go into a depressive state, or kill themselves? It's not the apps, or even the community on them, it's mindsets that people have while scrolling. The problem with social media is that people get sucked in, it's not anybody’s fault but it can be prevented by something as simple as the click of a button. If you notice yourself feeling bad after getting off an app maybe unfollow or mute whatever pages made you feel that way. There is a good side to social media, a side where you comment on your friends pictures, send funny videos, and communicate with people you may not get to see everyday. Social media helps you stay in touch with your peers, get updated on family members lives, and post what makes you happy in your own life. You just have to take control over your mindset and realize that you can choose who you follow, what you see, and the effect an app has on you.

(Part 3) My conclusion is that life is better lived outside of social media. Like the author of the article’s friend, I think going missing online is a healthy way to live. Life outside gives you no screens to hide behind and forces you to live boldly and authentically. Despite the author’s tips, it just seems too easy to slip into a trap of screen or approval addiction, to focus more on the images on a screen than the world around you, and to survive behind a facade.

(Part 1) I didn’t have social media for a long time. I now kinda regret getting Instagram a few months ago because it goes so against what I’ve always done. Even if I don’t usually have the app on my phone, there are some benefits: I get to see funny memes, read uplifting quotes, and stay connected with friends I don’t see very often. Recently I used Instagram for a different purpose, though, and I have mixed feelings about the result.

(Part 2) This past weekend I attended the March for Life in DC (a cause very dear to my heart) and I decided to post about it and write a long caption for it. My intent was to be honest, uplifting, and thought-provoking. I even hoped for some negative comments knowing it would spark discussion. And negative comments did I receive! Five people sent me negative messages (only one publicly, though) and not all of them were respectful, which I found especially ironic since they were accusing me of being ignorant, cruel, and disrespectful. I think I did a very good job carrying out my arguments for these people unapologetically but respectfully, but many of them still seemed angry or upset, and not one of them was brave enough to actually talk to me about in person. Or talk to me in person at all. So I reflect on that time spent on social media with doubt. I want to hope it put an unignorable pebble of thought in someone’s shoe, but I’m also concerned for the judgment of others and their lack of actual face-to-face communication with me. Is all they see of me this opinion they dislike? Are they hiding from me behind their screens? Surely they see that my purpose is to encourage real discussion and respect for everyone, regardless of opinion (or level of development)? I was trying to spread positivity no matter how controversial, but I leave it feeling tired and belittled.

I am not active a lot on social media so I tend to turn to YouTube for positivity. I love YouTube because it has something for every mood and to spend some time with those who I am with. In their I like to listen to music for myself and when I'm with my family, whether it be cleaning or just singing or to fall asleep or and take walks. I like to listening to preachings to learn more about my faith, and as a means of relaxing and find my hope when I am feeling down. I even listen to preachings as a disciplinary morale reminder of who I am, and how I am supposed to act. Finally one of my favorites, I like to sit down with my mom and watch videos that will make us both laugh and impulse her to start a good story.

The internet is a huge part of most everyone’s lives nowadays. For me, personally, the internet has been very positive and helpful, always getting kind messages from my friends, Being able to reach out and talk to people I usually wouldn’t be able to or wouldn’t have the courage to. I have seen it negatively impact people though, bringing lots of public hate and arguments that can get really intense and even scary. Overall however, wether the internet is helping you, or hurting you, we all need to take a break from time to time. As it very much is a tool, it can also be a huge distraction, from school, work, family, and just life in general. So every so often, take a small break and look back into your real life.

In my everyday life, I use the internet mostly for school but also in my free time. At this point technology is not only an addiction but it is a necessity, with this being said there are lots of ways that the internet can negative and positive. When I am looking to find something positive I usually scroll through Instagram or watch a YouTube video because this usually takes my mind off of things like school or sports. There have been times where it is negative, for example in the comment sections of Instagram there are lots of people who will comment negative things just to make someone’s day worse, it in my opinion all of these things are avoidable. My suggestion for avoiding negativity is to just ignore it, the internet is all about you searching for things you like so if you don’t look for the negativity than there are no problems.

The time I spend online usually fosters more positive emotions. Most of the time when I go on social media sites I watch videos or look at things that make me happy or laugh. My favorite, uplifting corners of the internet to visit are the ones that have animals and babies. I also enjoy the humorous corners of the internet. Looking at pictures or videos of cute children and animals almost always makes me smile, which is why this is one of my favorite corners of the internet. I like the humorous corners of the internet because they help make me laugh, which usually helps boost my current mood. I usually use the see less like this/uninterested option whenever I see a post that makes me feel negatively. For example, when I kept seeing TikToks about how Charli D’amelio didn’t deserve the hype, I pressed not interested. I did this because the videos were starting to show up a lot on my for you page and they disgusted me because of the amount of people putting her down. If that doesn’t work then I usually just end up blocking accounts that are similar until the app starts to barely show me accounts or posts similar to the ones I blocked. This helps me see less content that negatively affects me.

The best way to truly stay away from negativity online is to stay offline. For many people, however, staying offline is not always the first option that comes to mind. I am one of these people because most often I enjoy social media by finding ways to avoid the negativity. I think one way I am able to find positivity is by being positive online. When you start to become negative or say things that could potentially hurt others, you are more likely to bring negative attention to yourself. I also find it helpful to stay away from political discussions and news feeds if I am online for positivity purposes. Obviously, you are always going to stumble across some negative articles or posts, but unfortunately, that is just a part of today’s online culture.

There’s something awfully relaxing, rejuvenating, and imperative in taking a break from social media from time to time. Not only does it give you a break from the superficiality of the digital age, but it will allow you to reconnect with the aspects you were missing from the physical. However, by deleting social media and getting rid of your accounts across the board, I believe that is more avoidance and escapism than being a bigger person; simply put, why run away from the “problems” you have on social media when you can fix them? From this idea, I realized a few key things that connected to the article. First, it is important to realize you can always remove yourself. Yes, you could completely disconnect, but also, you are able to unfollow or not like or refrain from commenting. Social media is enticing, but there are no mandated rules of what you must do. Furthermore, shame in unfollowing, blocking, or silencing is idiotic; you’re not going to be a fan of all on the vast internet. Lastly, knowing yourself is most important with an online presence, which goes along with having the courage to be able to act and present oneself as you please online, without fear of repercussions of forgetting to comment a million hearts on your best friend’s post. This article and conversation it created really allowed me to see that social media really is not all that, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to take yourself completely out of the community that comprises it.

There’s something awfully relaxing, rejuvenating, and imperative in taking a break from social media from time to time. Not only does it give you a break from the superficiality of the digital age, but it will allow you to reconnect with the aspects you were missing from the physical. However, by deleting social media and getting rid of your accounts across the board, I believe that is more avoidance and escapism than being a bigger person; simply put, why run away from the “problems” you have on social media when you can fix them? From this idea, I realized a few key things that connected to the article. First, it is important to realize you can always remove yourself. Yes, you could completely disconnect, but also, you are able to unfollow or not like or refrain from commenting. Social media is enticing, but there are no mandated rules of what you must do. Furthermore, shame in unfollowing, blocking, or silencing is idiotic; you’re not going to be a fan of all on the vast internet. Lastly, knowing yourself is most important with an online presence, which goes along with having the courage to be able to act and present oneself as you please online, without fear of repercussions of forgetting to comment a million hearts on your best friend’s post. This article and conversation it created really allowed me to see that social media really is not all that, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to take yourself completely out of the community that comprises it.

The best way to avoid social media's negativity is to detach from it. As a teenager or a child using social media we don't have life experience and can't tell when some things are real, fake, glamorized, biased, etc. and we lack critical judgement skills to not become affected by what others post. Being on Instagram is a negative thing in itself. Teenagers don't want to admit they don't have perfect days, every day of the year. Expressing your feelings isn't cool, not interesting, not aesthetic. You only document the good times on social media, and it's disappointing to feel like we're not the same person on the internet as we are in real life. It causes us to neglect our true selves, seeking some one more polished and perfect. We see others posting their perfect lives and we want to be them too. I don't have a great glamorous life. I never post anything. I delete social media every time but I get sucked back in because "someone needs to contact me" but then their questions seem less urgent and it's a super annoying cycle of delete-and-download. There's not really a positive way to utilize social media, you just have to have your head already in the right place in order to not be affected negatively, but that goes for the rest of life. If you seek joy you'll find it through little puppies on your Instagram feed AND in real life, but if you seek to be fulfilled from something life won't give you then you'll be simply be disappointed.

The more involved we get with the internet the more addicted and hurtful it gets. I’m 17 years old and have 4 social media accounts and this may sound dumb but it’s draining. This article says your friends won’t notice if you “disappear” and maybe for late 20s and on that’s true but teenagers live for social media. I personally don’t post my day to day life on Instagram, or Facebook or twitter but I do notice how when others do they get judged immediately for it. You may be able to pick what you follow but if a bunch of teenagers are following each other something bad always comes from that. Social media is very self demoting and the more popular it gets the worse it becomes. I’m not saying I hate social media because I’d be hypocrite with the use of 4 accounts, but I have seen how it affects me and I wish I could “disappear” from social media.

Do you think that the time you spend online fosters more positive or negative emotions? What are some of your favorite, uplifting corners of the internet to visit? What tricks do you have for curbing or avoiding the negativity that can be prevalent on social media sites? I think that it could be both positive and negative , because on the positive side you get alerted about what is going on around the world or what is happening in your country or state. On the negative side, the internet is bad because a lot of drama happens there. People (kids) set up fights on the internet. Many teenagers have been shot for doing the "internet beef". The tricks that I have for curbing and avoiding the negativity that can be prevalent on social media sites are to not get involved in drama. This way I avoid getting involved in things that I don't have any business in. I would rather worry about myself than to worry about whats going on in social media.

Do you think that the time you spend online fosters more positive or negative emotions? What are some of your favorite, uplifting corners of the internet to visit? What tricks do you have for curbing or avoiding the negativity that can be prevalent on social media sites? The internet is good and bad. We can use the internet to look for a job or which place you want to go, but at the same time it can be bad because people can hack you. You need to know what you are doing to stay safe. A lot of kids that have Instagram get into trouble by fighting over a girl or other things which creates alot of drama that can be negative.

The internet is a nasty, nasty place. I open instagram, and I see a racist meme. I open twitter, and someone is arguing with someone else about something stupid. I open youtube and I see an insurmountable quantity of videos dedicated to the criticism and berating of other people. The more time I spend on the internet, the more inclined I feel to participate in this toxic behavior, and the less happy I become as a person. Despite my knowledge of this- despite my resistance to the internet’s evil underbelly- I often find myself stuck in the same loops everyone else seems to be trapped in. No matter what I do, no matter what I try, I cannot seem to escape the grip of the internet, and thus, I cannot escape the grip of toxicity. I cannot seem to stop arguing in comment sections, watching commentary videos, or simply paying attention to dumb arguments. What seems to be the best solution, in my own opinion, is to simply remove this social media from my life, even if it’s just for short periods of time. You can try to find happy, kind, cheerful corners of the internet, but there is no way to escape the negative aspects forever. There’s no way to always have a positive experience online. What you can do instead is seperate yourself from the internet entirely. Take time to cool off, calm down, relax, and destress. Take time for yourself and take time away from social media, and you will generally be a happier person.

I spend many hours a day on social media, as do most other teenagers. I think that a lot of time spent on apps like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter is spent comparing your life to the online lives of others. This is the main thing that fosters negative emotions online. Jealousy, deceit, and anger all come with seeing posts of people whos lives you believe are better than your own. However, posting on social media and getting likes, comments, shares, etc., makes you feel loved. It is really easy to get attention from people on social media, and I think that is one way that social media fosters positive emotions. Even though all of the online attention makes you feel liked and loved, it’s not real and ultimately makes you feel alone when you turn the screen off.

In this time period we’re living, we are surrounded by technology. Everywhere we look, there is some form of technology. Most of us have social media as a form of entertainment. Although it wasn’t designed to be addicting, it is something that we usually find ourselves on for hours upon hours. At night, I always tell myself that I’m going to go to bed at a decent time, but then I end up on twitter or instagram for about an hour. Twitter is my favorite, though. There are so many different things to see and I always end up finding the funniest stuff. A very addicting app is tik tok. I get on it, and 30 minutes fly by so fast. Now, even little kids and some babies are getting addicted to using an iPad or a phone, and it’s not good. I believe that social media and online can be a really good thing until it consumes most of your life.

Teenagers today spend multiple hours a day on the phone. It’s the way we communicate the easiest.I think that social media can be a blessing and a curse. If you are online for hours at a time, I think it will foster a bad attitude. Some people get sucked into it and only see the bad. They may get 20 positive comments and 2 bad comments, but they choose to harp on the bad ones. Social media is an outlet that young adults and teenagers to use to feel better about themselves. It is very addicting and can really mess with your mental health. But, there are people who use it for the right reasons as well. Some influencers produce content that is specifically made to put us in a good mood and distract us from what is going on in the real word at that moment. Some people make accounts and only post positive quotes and sayings that will boost your mood instantly. I personally think that social media is either a curse or a blessing. It is all about the way you are using it.

With technology evolving everyday, there’s no question that our generation has become addicted. I think whether online fosters positive or negative emotions depends on your use of it. Everyone views technology differently, if your main goal is to become popular and get the most likes possible, eventually it will foster some negative emotions. On the other hand, using social media and the internet to learn more about things you’re interested in and connect with friends and family can create positive emotions. I use the internet on a daily basis, whether it’s a quick question I have to look up or social media that I’m interested in. Some of my favorite places to visit on the internet are places to shop or research things I enjoy. It can be hard to avoid negativity with social media all around us, due to human nature of jealousy. When looking at someone's Facebook or Instagram, a lot of people might wish to be like them or look like them, when in reality you’re only seeing pictures and there is know of knowing what their life is actually like. So my best advice is to try and not let those thoughts get in your head, everyone is different and use social media how you want to use it.

Technology today in my opinion has taken a turn for the worst. In high school today, teenagers feel completely left out if they don’t have a Snapchat account, or an Instagram account. Majority of communication for teenagers are through these apps, and that can ultimately lead us to be obsessed with social media and technology. The pressure of having to check these media apps constantly to keep up with everything is extremely exhausting. I was sitting in a meeting where I volunteer at and one girl raised her hand and asked if instead of using the app GroupMe for communication, could we use a Snapchat groupchat. Most of the people agreed with her and started asking for each others user names, and one guy said “I don’t have Snapchat”. This shouldn’t seem like a huge deal, because it’s not. But the room suddenly died down and got quiet after that. It is a shame that everyone relies so much on social media and technology for communication when in reality there should be more face to face communication.

In my opinion, social media can be very negative. People always emphasize NOT to compare yourself to others on social media, but this is not always possible for the young minds of teenagers. It’s challenging for kids to not compare themselves when they’re constantly scrolling through “the best” of peoples lives. I personally like to remind myself that “the best” of peoples lives that they display through their instagram feed or snapchat stories, may not actually be their best life. A lot of what’s posted on social media is edited to make it look more appealing than it is. A picture can look pretty, but without actually being there, there is no way to know how nice or how happy the people in the scene actually actually are. I believe that if you can look at social media with a different mindset, it can be an awesome thing. Not only does it allow you to stay in touch with old friends and family, but it can also spread positivity. You can personalize your feeds and accounts to your liking. I constantly see it being used for the good: to promote mental health awareness, or raise money to bring aid to Australia. Social media has developed a very bad reputation, but I think people forget of the potential social media has to be used for the good of all.

It's easy to get caught in a hole of sadness while scrolling through the endless void of Instagram or through looking back on old texts thinking what you could have said differently. Social media Sadness is a real thing that we teens experience. We look at Instagram jealous of the people we see on there saying wow there so much more: prettier, richer, skinnier, happier, etc than me. I know it happens to me and I'm not the only one. But I wouldn't say all of social media is evil its really about the way you approach it. Social Media can be good for keeping in touch with friends outside of school hours or just to use a distraction from everyday life. I know personally I use it to unwind after a long hard day. Social Media isn't always healthy but I think it would be if our attitudes were different. So next time you open up Instagram don’t start comparing use it as a way to communicate. Post an encouraging comment on that friend's photo telling them how they look good or just keep scrolling don't dwell on it other people's happiness and successes shouldn't control your wellbeing. Overall it's not the social media that's “evil” it's teens prioritizing the wrong things.

Personally, I believe that wether social media is a positive or negative thing really depends on what someone sees when they go online. When I go online, I see it in a positive light because what comes up on my screen is what makes me happy or things that I am interested in. When it comes to finding the internet to be a negative place, I believe that if someone is looking at things that make them feel sad or they are envious of what they see, they should just get rid of it. Like the article says, if the person you follow posts about their amazing travels all the time, and you want to travel so bad that you get sad when you see their posts, then just un follow them. If you love to look at food posts and videos, follow more food accounts. In our generation, being online is almost a necessity; however, this is not just limited to social media platforms.

I think that being a teenager, we are almost expected to be involved in all the different types of social media networks. I love social media for the purposes of seeing pictures of an old friend or a family member that may live far away. However, social media definitely has its downsides. I know of many people that have struggled with cyber bullies on different social media platforms. My advice to them was to simply delete the app and it helped. They were no longer exposed to the hurtful comments or posts. They were able to recover and focus on more important things in life rather than someone else's opinion about how they look in an Instagram picture. Personally, I believe that people should try to limit their time on social media. They should save their time and emotions for something more important happening right in front of them. I believe that being social and experiencing things with new people face to face can mean a lot more and bring more happiness than a friend request from someone hidden behind a screen.

Sometimes I’m not really sure how I feel about the Internet. I feel like I’m always encouraged to glorify it because of its constant advancements and seemingly endless capabilities, even all my homework assignments are online. And most of the time I do agree that the Internet is completely necessary. I find myself checking my phone a couple hundred times a day whether I am trying to google help for a homework answer, texting my friends to make plans, scrolling through Instagram, or even simply checking the time. While I can’t imagine my life without these aspects, maybe I should try. Sometimes when I google help for my homework, I’m tempted to cheat, if my friends don’t invite to something I get really upset about it, and scrolling through Instagram can make me feel more jealous than happy. Instead of these negative habits I’m going to try and glorify my positive habits. I love listening to music on my phone because it can appeal to any mood and it always makes me feel something real and genuine. I’m going to try and enhance my happiness with the Internet instead of relying on it to be my sole cause of joy.

Honestly, I think the type of social media app that we choose to engage with influences us differently. For example watching YouTube videos about your favorite hobbies/interests might motivate you to take action or start something new. Although some may think watching success stories may discourage one, it is without a doubt based on ones personality that hinges a positive or negative outlook. However, there are some social media apps like Instagram or Facebook where cyber bullying majorly affects someone. Notably, young teenagers who are going through personal issues will try to seek happiness through a bright screen. Later to find out it makes them more depressed due to the abusive comments others post. I think instead of turning toward social media we should take time to live in the moment and enjoy life not over thinking what to post.

In our generation, technology has had a huge influence in our daily lives. Some are for and some are against technology based on its influence on people. There are many who argue that the internet brings positivity as well as others say that the internet brings negativity. I love having access to the internet, being able to communicate and FaceTime loved ones who I am not able to see everyday, watching shows that I love, my family and I coming together in the living room to watch a new exciting movie, hearing music to relieve my stress, and much more. However there are some negativity that comes with social media which I unfortunately am a victim of. Social media has really taken over what people expect in others and makes people feel down about who they are. Social media has made not only girls, but boys as well feel insecure about themselves. If we could just see the beauty in all instead of having these expectations set or comparing, I think the world would realize and value more of what beauty truly is and really focus on the inside. I also believe the internet has influenced young people to have less respect and value in what’s important in their lives. We become blinded by social media and let life pass by and sometimes I wish it was never like this.

I find myself absorbed on the internet for longer than I’d like to admit these days, but that has drastically changed ever since I’ve gotten a job, and to be completely honest, I don’t think I’ve been at a better point of my life. Could it be something completely unrelated? Sure, but socially I haven’t been stressed with having to maintain a relationship with anybody, I have complete control whether I send a text back or how long it takes me to reply. Where as before I almost felt like I had to respond or else I wasn’t “cool” or “trendy”. All of this isn’t to say that I don’t use my phone a fair bit every day, but I put my energy into things that provide happiness, and realizing that there should be no pressure placed on me by others to be responsible for theirs. I enjoy scrolling through clothing and purchasing it every once in a while, making plans in real life with the friends that I do cherish, and to make sure I’m not late for my shift!

Honestly, I do not know how I feel about how the internet effects my emotions. In someways I love the internet, if I didn’t have it, I wouldn’t be able to have my nightly FaceTime calls with my friend Mia from Michigan, learn how to get my car unstuck from the snow or save pictures and videos from the best nights I’ve had with my friends to cherish forever. But in a way, the internet is slowly hurting us. I go to summer camp every summer up in northern Wisconsin, I have been for the past seven years. No phones, no tvs— we don’t even have showers. We bathe in the lake. I go for six whole weeks and the only way I can communicate with my friends or family back home is through mail. When I tell people about this, they think it sounds like hell. They’re constantly asking me how I go a month and a half without social media; not even how I go with out a warm shower or a phone call with my parents. I’ve been doing this since I was 9, and I love it. It’s my way to get out of reality and check back in with myself; we like to call it our refresh button. I don’t get homesick because I can’t see what’s going on back home all I see is what’s going on in real time with my friends in the woods. But now that I’m older and am a counselor, I get my phone. This is my first year with my phone and I’m honestly terrified. I don’t think I’ll be able to be as happy or in real time as I have in the past. You see, I think the internet keeps us in touch with other people, but not ourselves.

When I am on the internet, I feel more negative energy than positive. This is because social media is not healthy in my opinion. It shows people living fake lives, pushing me to want to change myself in order to be like them. A lot of my friends have mentioned how they wish they looked like them (someone on Instagram), or wish they had their life. It puts us in a negative, unsatisfied mindset. Another part of the internet that makes me feel down is the news. There are various upsetting news stories involving Donald Trump that brings out my frustration, and also devastating news stories that upset me. The internet is overall not a positive place for me. The only way I can curb the negativity is to not go online at all. I need a break from the internet because it has not been making me feel content. I know many others feel the same, too.

I believe that in today’s age of technology and social media, it is really easy to find yourself getting caught up on other peoples success. The social media was made for kids, adults and even animals now to post flashy pictures of themself accomplishing or doin amazing tasks. When one post they often get love and support by there person, but they also get hate and criticism. Personally, I feel that the challenge students are facing with social media isn’t the negative comments or tweets, but instead the jealousy. People seeing there peers amazing post, and thinking, “why not me?”, “why couldn’t I be good enough to do that?”, etc... This creates conflict and self hate, where people should be rejoicing and congratulating there peers.

Personally, I believe that one's individual mindset will determine whether they will have a more positive or negative attitude after spending time on the internet. Though many people believe that spending more time on the internet can make an individual more insecure or less confident, I think that it is all relative to one’s perspective. Applications such as Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook keep its users updated upon the lives of their peers, whether it be a photo of their dog, or a video of their friends. However, if you decide to use these platforms as a way to compare yourself to others, you will very likely not leave the app as confident as you were when you initially opened it. Although, there are many opportunities on the internet that can encourage people to be more positive: lifestyle bloggers on all platforms, health gurus, and other influencers maintain a goal to inspire their followers to live their life to the fullest, and personally I find that these kinds of users encourage me to maintain a more positive attitude. I love using Pinterest as a way to find life inspiration, and Instagram to help me find positive influencers, along with connecting me with more people who are like me, such as those who may be going to the same college as I am. Overall, if you allow your internet presence to exist in an uplifting space, you will be more likely to foster a more positive attitude.

I think its very easy to let myself be overwhelmed by all of the negativity on social media, and it ends up making me feel worse when I was just trying to take a break from my real life problems. However, I can easily change what content I see by unfollowing certain people, and looking for more people with the same interests as me. I’ve learned to let myself do more things to help my well-being, and don’t feel the need to keep following someone when I don’t like what they post. Although I’ve never made a friend online because of my overwhelming social anxiety, it makes me happy when I see that one of my followers has gone through my blog and liked a ton of things. I don’t feel the need to be committed to a friendship and stress myself out about talking to people online, which does give me a nice break from being surrounded by people all day.

I think the time I spend online fosters more positive emotions than negative, although I cannot dismiss the fact that the internet is certainly a playground for pessimism. It all depends on what you choose to spend your time on. Some of my favorite, uplifting corners of the web include Twitter, Google, and Duolingo. I often use Google to conduct research on any random thing. I love learning new facts. For example, I discovered a chocolate alternative called carob that allows people with allergies to enjoy a similar tasting food. Without Google, I don’t think I ever would’ve known that a powder like carob exists. I use Duolingo when I’m bored. It’s a fun way to utilize my time wisely while also learning, rather than wasting time and killing brain cells on a pointless game. Some tricks I use for curbing negativity would be to take breaks from social media. All that interaction and information can be excessive and overwhelming, causing unnecessary insecurity. I take a day out of my week where I don’t use my phone at all.