Social media consumes the hours of many teenagers and adults. Although adults tend to stick with Facebook, the depleting role of social media is seen to disturb adults as well as kids. Teenagers have possibly abused the right of social media, but finding a healthy medium may help solve the issue with the addiction to this drug.
The most in demand social media app that high schoolers tend to gravitate towards is Snapchat. It is so easy to get caught up in a world away from the world as stress skyrockets and the craving for an escape increases. Snapchat is probably one of the most difficult apps to cleanse from because of the various attributes that this app holds including streaks, location devices, group chats, memories and stories. Essentially, Snapchat holds most of the characteristics and functions that other apps have, but all consolidated into one.
But, the line should be drawn when there becomes an emotional connection to these apps, especially Snapchat. The recent craze with this app has to do with the ability of having streaks with either people you don’t know or with your closest friends as well. After you hit three days of Snapchatting back and forth every day, the streak number begins to increase as long as you Snapchat each other within 24 hours. The obsession of reaching a high number for your streak is evident because of the aspect of competition and “connection” among the World Wide Web. Senior Kris Laurite said, “I love Snapchat and I am obsessed.”
To get a more mature and adult perspective, many faculty members were interviewed with questions regarding social media and in particular snapchat. Basketball coach Jan Azar said, “I think my daughter spends too much time on Snapchat and she thinks it is communicating. It is not communicating when you take a picture of your foot and send it to somebody.” The majority of the time people just send pictures with no words back and forth, avoiding the actual communication part. This brings out the more negative elements to social media and the conflict with social skill in this day in age.
Concerning streaks within snapchat History teacher Dennis Stromie said, “I don’t call it streaks I just call it dumb people.” Stromie makes it clear that he avoids social media at all costs.
The student perspective is very similar. Junior AC Karter said, “People make streaks seem like they are so important, but they just are not. You could have a streak with someone in school that you do not even talk to, and I do that myself.”
On the more positive side of social media, math teacher Corrie Nash said, “I remember one-year Grant Beaty was in my class and he and his friend has a streak going and they would update us everyday with what their streak was, but they were having fun with it.” Nash takes a more positive approach to the situation by explaining how streaks and Snapchat could possibly bring people together.
Snapchat and social media have become an integral part in our day to day lives. This cycle will not end anytime soon because as the progression of technology advances, so will the outcome of the apps produced within the arena of technology.
