My Use of Social Media

      I feel like social media has always been a part of my life whether or not I've ever truly realized it. I've had a computer for about as long as I can remember. My first interaction with the internet in particular was of course through AOL. I remember being so excited to have my first screen name. AOL remained a large part of my life for years to come. First all that I could use was the Kids Only section of AOL. Personally, I thought it was awesome. My favorite part was the chat rooms which I would spend hours and hours on. I felt like I could be anyone and talk to anyone. However, looking back, I realize how concerned I began with my image through this social media. In AOL you were able to personalize a profile. I would spend hours and hours making mine look as cool as possible playing around with the fonts and colors. Basically I had been trying to make my virtual self look as best as possible. I believe that's similar to the obsession of what you should name your screen name. I remember the variety of screen names picked like cutie143 or HottAngel90 as if just the name could make everyone think you look better or are cooler. It's actually quite comical once you analyze it and really look into the obsession with what people think of you and how it is relayed to the online world as well.

           As time went by I began my journey "down the rabbit hole" of social media. I started using xanga and truly felt how addicting it was to literally just talk about yourself and read about other people's lives. It's this weird socially acceptable stalking. That is I must mention extremely addicting. Now fast forwarding up to present day where social media is basically taking over the world I must say I feel as if I am slowly growing out of the fad rather than diving in even deeper. Don't get me wrong though believe me I still check Facebook everyday but I don't use as it  as much as I used to. I still spend a lot of time checking up on people and yes "stalking" people but I don't interact with people as much as I used to. I used to write a lot of comments or post on people's walls even "poke" them but now it's every so often rather than everyday. I've also noticed that facebook and social media can exasperate insecurities. Let's say your home alone on a Friday night and the next day you see all these photos posted from this awesome party that guess what... you weren't invited to. Personally, I don't let that stuff bother me too much but it really makes me scared for those who are still very emotionally immature like middle schoolers and high schoolers. Whenever I hear about someone killing themselves over something on Facebook or any other type of social media site it really depresses me. Though social media is great in many aspects it gives people the ability to be mean and horrible with not many consequences.  I wonder what our generation would be like without social media. 

 I feel like social media at the same time distances relationships but also makes them closer. With that I mean sometimes relationships can become less intimate  with the fact that there are still so many ways to communicate and keep up with a relationship without even being in the same place. However when looking at that exact same statement and thinking about long distance relationships and families and friends that live thousands of miles apart it's actually the opposite - social media helps these relationships remain close. 

I believe that any media that allows people to come together online and communicate in one way or another is a social media. I mainly stick to Facebook and use it as a tool to keep up with my friends and as a tool to entertain myself by looking at other people's Facebooks and checking up on their lives. It's also extremely helpful in the work force for networking and advertising. Basically to sum this all up I must say social media is no longer that big of a part in my life. I more use it as a form of entertainment and something to do when I'm bored than as an every day necessary tool. Don't get me wrong though, I think social media is extremely great and helpful in many many different ways and I'm sure I'll get sucked back in some time soon. 

Jessica W