My Social Media Life

Many adults may find it difficult to understand why teenagers use social media so much. It’s like they're always online, and always distracted from happenings around them. So, those perplexed adults are probably asking, “What is Social Media”?

(Culled and edited from www.parents.au.reachout.com)

What is social media?

Social media refers to any digital platform, system, website or app that enables people to create and share content, and connect with each other. Here are a few of the most popular sites that teenagers use, and how they work:

Facebook

A free site where registered users (aged 13 and up) can share pictures, links, videos, and other content with their 'friends'. Friends are other registered users you have connected with within the network. Most of the time, anything you share will only be seen by the people you have 'friended'. Facebook changes it's privacy settings regularly so it's important to stay up-to-date with their settings and policies.

Instagram

A free image sharing service that is used mainly on mobile devices. On Instagram, it's common to connect with people you don't know but share common interests with (for example, Taylor Swift). You can have a public account or a private account where only friends can see your posts. Instagram also has their own privacy settings to stay up-to-date with.

Snapchat

A mobile phone messaging application that allows you to send video or picture messages to one or more people at a time. The messages are only viewable for a few seconds at a time, as determined by the sender. However, there are ways of saving the images using other phone functions.

Tumblr

A blogging website where people can publish their own articles and share it with people who follow their blog or profile. They also view the content of people they follow. On Tumblr, it is more common to connect with people you don't know in real life than people you do.

WhatsApp and messaging services

WhatsApp and messaging applications let you contact friends using internet data (or wifi) instead of your mobile carrier, which reduces the cost of messaging. It can be used without a sim card if connected to a wifi network. It is popular because it allows you to send messages to a group of friends at one time.

Other games and sites

YouTube, Club Penguin, or online games like World of Warcraft are also considered social media because of the way they enable social interaction.

I heard young people weren't using Facebook anymore!

Not true. Data shows us that young people are using more social media sites, but they're not rejecting others. Their time spent online is expanding as social media become more and more ingrained in their daily life.

Why are they always checking social media?

Social media is a way for teenagers to stay in touch with their friends, like hanging out at the bus stop after school or chatting on the phone. It is an important part of socialising and connection in the modern world. Some of the main reasons teenagers regularly use social media include:

·         talking to friends

·         joining in on group conversations

·         learning about current events and staying up to date with online content

·         meeting new people

·         not having anything to do, or feeling bored

·         feeling like they might miss out if they aren't always up to date with social media.

What are the benefits of using social media?

Being socially connected is very important for the psychological development of the teenager, and in this day and age, the online environment is where they get a lot of this. By connecting with others through social media, they could:

·         develop better social skills

·         feel less isolated

·         learn about new cultural and societal ideas and issues

·         bond with their friends

·         have fun

·         be creative and share their own ideas with friends

·         be better equipped to be active citizens in society

·         develop real world skills to help them become more independent

·         learn about world events and current affairs outside of their immediate environment.

What are the risks of using social media?

Like any form of social engagement, social media comes with risks. Some of the most common risks include:

·         spending too much time online and being disconnected from the real world

·         being the victim of online bullying

·         damaging your online reputation

·         having your personal information shared online

·         being harassed or annoyed by someone you do not want attention from

·         being the victim of an online scam

·         having reduced self-esteem (for some teenagers)

Sometimes teenagers can feel a 'compulsion' to check their social media accounts frequently, but this is generally only in extreme cases. Teenagers can develop positive habits like taking regular breaks from checking social media, and making sure notifications are turned off so that their mobile device isn't distracting. This can help reduce the compulsion to check in with social media so often.

When to know if something is wrong

Some teenagers can be so absorbed in the social media that their behaviour and their wellbeing are disturbingly affected. Watch out for big changes in:

·         your energy levels and enthusiasm for offline life

·         your engagement in normal conversation

·         the amount of time you spend doing other activities, like sport, homework, and other hobbies

·         your self esteem and sense of self worth

Then it might be good to think again about your use of social media.

Planning for my Successful Future

Luke 14:28, “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it”?

Isabella Barbuto wrote this article on www.poughkeepsiejournal.com which I found quite profound;

As teenagers, we often are not taken seriously by authority. We are held hostage by the assumption we are troublemakers and can do no good.

That is quite a stereotype because teenagers are the next generation. They will be controlling and running the world someday. It might not be in the exact mindset they have right now, but the ideas are all coming from an identical area and viewpoint.

We are experiencing things in our world right now and the exposure to the media and large political leaps where we live are important for us to be aware of, especially for our future. The groundwork for our future is right now.

Teenagers have an important role in society. What we do, what we accomplish, what we are exposed to has every effect on, not only our personal future, but the future of society as a whole. Every generation grows up in a completely distinct world. Depending on when you grew up, there are varied aspects of life that could have had an influence on the development of your future society. When people refer to teenagers with a negative connotation it doesn’t make sense because that person was once a teenager, so they are contradicting themselves.

There are many teens who are risk-takers and are drawn to adventure and danger. These aren’t necessarily bad qualities to obtain because every society needs that. Every society can’t function without the minds that think and work differently, and aren’t afraid to voice opinions and ideas that are unheard of or made out to be classified as “wrong.” This might come off as a bias opinion, but teens are highly intelligent and are regularly solving problems. They have the insight of the future. They are new minds open to wild ideas because they feel they are invincible.

As teenagers, we need to have faith and power within ourselves. We need to have initiative. We are in charge of the future generations. If we don’t make a change ourselves, how will improvements in society occur?

Our parents play a large role in how we see society because they raise us and bring us up to believe certain ways, and when we become teenagers, we begin to think about the world and our role in it. Teens have the right mindset and are excited and motivated for the future of society.

Just because we are young doesn’t mean we are incapable of creating change and improvements in our society.

Isabella Barbuto is a sophomore at Red Hook High School. Contact her at life@poughkeepsiejournal.com

Nearly everyone has goals for today and for the future which some may refer to as having a “life plan”. A life plan can help you achieve your goals and plan for the future. When you think ahead, it will help you make good and healthy decisions regarding areas of your life. As a teenager, you are getting to that point in your life when you have to become a very important part of the world around you. It is a world that would count on your physical, spiritual, mental, emotional and social contribution.

Our Bible text in Luke 14:24 is a poignant education on the significance of planning – planning for a project, planning for your future. The Bible encourages us to plan for the future and how we can approach our planning;

James 4:13-15, “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit’— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring.  What is your life?  For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.  Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that".

We assume that we will live and do whatever we have purposed to achieve but we forget that tomorrow may never come.  Therefore, James tells us to take our plans to God.  Why?  Because God knows what is best for us.

At www.wikihow.com, we are provided with steps to take to plan for a successful future. Let’s check out some of them;

Step 1: Think and identify a future for yourself

Proverbs 16:3, “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans”.

Ø  Find a place to do your thinking where you will not be disturbed, free from distractions and interruptions.

Ø  Get to know yourself better by asking yourself questions about the kind of future you envisage.

Ø  Don’t dwell on the past but focus on the future. Success is all about moving forward and letting go of the past.

Step 2: Find your passion

Proverbs 16:9, “In their hearts, humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps”.

Ø  A passion will fuel confidence and create excitement on your path to succeed.

Ø  Be proud of your strength areas. It gives you the confidence and enthusiasm you need to succeed.

Step 3: Maintain your motivation

Ø  Put pen to paper. Write down your goals in a journal so you can keep track of your achievement. Habakkuk 2:2, “Then the Lord answered me and said, “Write the vision, and engrave it plainly on [clay] tablets, so that the one who reads it will run with it”.

Ø  Paste your “Life Plan” where you can see it every time as a reminder of work-to-be-done.

Step 4: Prepare an Action Plan

Proverbs 6:6-8 “Go to the ant, O Sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise.  Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest”.

Ø  Start saving money for your future needs. It’s time to be disciplined with spending money and your turn to make sacrifices for your own good.

Ø  Examine your lifestyle. You will need to scrutinize your current habits, relationships, activities, etc, and how they will help you succeed in your future plans. Keep the helpful habits and discard the obstructive ones.

Ø  Put your plan into action and build on it and have fun as you work your way toward its achievement.

Conclusion

Psalm 20:4, “May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed”.

This prayer needs a resounding ‘Amen’. Yes, there will be difficulties, distractions, confusion, doubt, delays, outright hostility and attempts at shortcuts on your way to implementing your Life Plan but you can overcome them all.

Proverbs 14:8, “The wise man looks ahead. The fool attempts to fool himself and won’t face facts”.

Pastor Rick Warren, author of the bestseller, The Purpose-Driven Life, encourages us to ask God for help to establish our goals for our future so we’ll be ready to learn how to get to where God wants us to go.

How's Your Attitude?

What is attitude? The dictionaries have several definitions but let’s share a few below;

1.    “It is a way of feeling or acting toward a person, thing or situation”.

2.    “Attitude is a predisposition or a tendency to respond positively or negatively towards a certain idea, object, person, or situation. Attitude influences an individual's choice of action, and responses to challenges, incentives, and rewards…”

3.    “Attitude is a manner, disposition, feeling, position, etc., with regard to a person or thing; a tendency or orientation, especially of the mind: a negative attitude; group attitudes: a position or posture of the body appropriate to or expressive of an action, emotion, etc”.

4.    “Your attitude to something is the way that you think and feel about it, especially when this shows in the way you behave”.

The Four Attitudes of Teenagers

When it comes to attitude, we, teenagers have them in different sizes and colours. Generally notorious for exhibiting the bad attitude, the truth is that teenagers embody plenty of positive attitudes. Yes, the bad attitude may seem more prominent and it can really drive people crazy. We have our vintage eye-roll, the angry outburst, the sarcastic retort, the very loud and long sigh, the cold shoulder, the hot temper, or that irritating ‘look’. We virtually wear our brash behaviour like a badge of honor!

Mark Gregston, an American author, speaker, and radio host, writes that teenagers manifest four major attitudes. We’ll find where we belong;

Anxiety

The world has observed that we demonstrate a constant dread—a fear of life and the world.  Some of us hate going to school; are afraid of social events; or are angry about the state of the world. We are affected by happenings around the world - famine, war, disease, murder, inequality, etc - and feel strongly about them.  Unfortunately, it is the tragic and evil things that take the headlines in the media. So we develop an attitude of anguish and try to block out the world. We can’t help but express sorrow, worry and fear so much that it affects other people’s lives.

Apprehension

Teenagers are increasingly getting more anxious than ever. We are becoming more and more stressed, stretched, and strained.  We feel the concerns and pressures of our parents, peers, or culture (and maybe a mixture of all three) and gain an attitude of self-doubt and apprehension.  So, we now have teenagers diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), living in a state of fear about all the terrible things that could happen to them and putting off an air of restlessness and trouble. Hey, a little anxiety is a great motivator.  Pressure can help us study harder, practice more and prepare better. But too much worry can quickly spiral out of control.

Anger

Many people can vividly describe their baptism from a teenager with an angry attitude. The rage can be processed in a variety of ways.  We punch the wall or bang our heads on the floor in fury or turn that anger inward, and become depressed, isolated and lonely. Frankly, all anger is an emotional response to an unmet need; something important like wanting praise or acceptance or trivial like not having a new phone or being grounded.  Anger is not necessarily a bad thing – we all get fired up from time to time - but an angry attitude should not be excused or ignored.

Arrogance

The arrogant attitude of a teenager can really get under your skin.  It can make your blood boil but the truth is that this cocky attitude is a sign of insecurity, where a teen feels they are not measuring up so they put on a false bravado to mask it. It is another way we are coping with our changing world.

The Positive Attitude

Yet some teenagers just seem to radiate happiness and good energy and leave others wondering, "Why do they have so many friends? Why are they so popular? What is it about them that makes them so great?" What they have is called "a positive attitude". Having a positive attitude will help you to get the best out of life, while having fun and laughter. At www.wikihow.com, we get to learn how teenagers can get that positive attitude they need;

1. Be Proactive. Think about things ahead of time and determine to tackle them head-on instead of just waiting around for bad ones to happen. This will help you end up with more happy moments.

2.   Be Positive. Believe that each moment is perfect, regardless of what happens later. Even the bad moments are a part of life and you don't need to let them drag you down. Things happen. Just let it go.

3.   Be Grateful. Gratitude is a simple way to make you appreciate your life so much more. There's nothing wrong with having dreams or goals, but in the meantime, enjoy what you have... even though it may not be much.

4.   Seize every Opportunity. Just so you don’t regret it later. When you have the chance to improve yourself or try something new, don't sit around at home and wonder and think about the pros and cons. Rub minds with other good ‘heads’, and jump in with two feet and do it! New experiences are a great way to help you enjoy your life.

5.   Keep your sense of humor. Learn to laugh. Laughing creates such a positive energy within you and those who can hear you. Don't take your life too seriously. Some moments are funny… That’s life for you.

6.   Take charge of your destiny. No one can take your dreams from you as long as you're still breathing. If you have determination and will power, you can do almost anything. Success is whatever you determine it to be and you can be successful.

Activities That Teach Teenagers a Positive Attitude

We have already figured out that your attitude determines how you see yourself and how you respond to the world. When you look at the world through a positive lens, it is vastly different from through a negative lens. Behavioural experts have identified activities that teach you a positive attitude that should be part of your daily routines. www.parentingmonkey.com gives us five activities that you can do to improve your attitude.

1. Share Positive Things. When someone asks you, ‘How was your day’? put on your energy-revving mode. Tell them about your;

a)    Nailing a difficult test in school

b)    Volunteer work

c)    Completing a passionate project

d)    Getting a dream job

e)    Meeting someone special

The world can be a rough place, with the stresses of school, afterschool activities, difficult relationships (including bullying), etc. Your positive end-of-the-day ritual helps to put the negatives into perspective.

2. Try Affirmations. If you are finding it difficult to overcome a particular activity, make positive affirmations. This will help you reprogram your subconscious beliefs. Most habits take at least 21 days to stick. So, try positive affirmations for at least 21 days. Do them for a few minutes in the morning and in the evening to develop a new way of thinking. Over time, your feelings about that situation will change and will, in turn, spur new action and new success.

3. Keep a Journal. Putting pen to paper can change a person’s attitude. If you like to write, keeping a journal might just be the boost you need to improve your attitude. Writing your thoughts down not only helps you catalog your life, it also assists you in processing emotions. Being able to externalize bad feelings is one of the biggest benefits you can gain from writing in a journal. Bad feelings can lead to a bad attitude.

Journal-writing also encourages you to put your goals down on paper and accomplishing them builds self-esteem, which in turn helps to build a positive mental attitude. Your diary can also be a place where you can take an attitude inventory. Sometimes, you need time to process things before you really understand how you feel.

4. Exercise. Doing some regular exercise can boost your mental attitude. Exercising releases feel-good endorphins that will change your outlook, irrespective of the situation. You can take up activities like walking or jogging, yoga or martial arts. They will eventually help you develop a body-positive image.

5. Gratitude. Gratitude encourages you to look on the bright side each day. Dwell on positive things, quotes or even pictures; surround yourself with them each day to brighten your mood and to help you develop a positive outlook. A daily list of positive experiences ensures that there is always a new supply of positive thoughts just waiting to be experienced.

Conclusion

Keeping a positive attitude requires work each day. If you want to look on the bright side, you’ll have to engage in activities that build self-esteem and a positive outlook. There are many worthy activities that exist and will help you change your outlook from bad to good. It’s all about perspective. This world has good things to offer, you know, take time to identify the myriad of pure, noble, right, and true things happening all around the world.  Talk about the things worth celebrating. Life has more joy and happiness that what we can see at the moment.

If you do experience the tendency to think negatively, then take a break. Instead of getting into discussions about what needs to be done tomorrow or the problems of the day, laugh. Yes, laugh. Take the opportunity to breathe and escape that overwhelming world.  It is very okay to relax and have fun every once in a while.