Within the past two decades, advancements in technology have grown significantly. We're at the point where every other week something new is dropping or a brand new update is being installed. Communication across the world is as simple as a quick text message. Business and franchises are going completely paperless, everything being on iPads, computers, and other wireless devices. Schools are putting all their reading material online for students. Drones are delivering mail. Cars are driving themselves. It truly is amazing what we have done in such a short amount of time.

With all of these advancements, we have also created a plethora of apps and devises strictly for pleasure and our own enjoyment. One of the largest advances has to do with social media. Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook are the main ones that our society has almost become dependent on. People are constantly updating, uploading, and upgrading everything about their virtual lives. Each person's goal to surpass other peoples amount of "friends" or followers. We now live in a time where the number of likes on a post define how much we are liked as a person. When a video isn't viewed as much as we hope, we think that no one cares. We have uploaded our entre lives to these social apps, and yet there are people who feel more alone and lost than ever before.

The social media franchise has, in a way, corrupted a large portion of the worlds population. People can get caught up in immense amounts of unnecessary drama. We are being socialized to look, act, think, and be viewed a specific way. We feel as though we have to maintain these social relationships, relationships with people who we have never met in person. Streaks, shares, retweets, and saved posts are what we all consider a way of life now. Sending pictures to over 30 people, but only knowing two or three of them really well.

In addition to all of that, it is so easy nowadays to cause trouble. Scamming people into viruses through corrupted links. Posts that state offensive or degrading words. Catfishing is easy and almost a guilt-free experience. False relationships and messages full of lies fill our DMs and people get hung up on every negative message. We can comment on pictures through fake names, disclosed ID's, and with little to no repercussions.

Now I understand the positive things of social media. I myself use Instagram and Facebook still, but carefully and with a grain of salt. I am really only friends with people I personally know, people that attend USF, and current and future teacher pages/profiles. Social media does help keep in touch with old and new friends, but overall we need to take a step back. It is a great place to escape to for a bit out of each day, but we shouldn't live in those worlds of posts and videos. I recommend taking a step back and really filtering through "friends"/followers, pages subscribed to, and who you're talking to. In a short sentence, anything negative or toxic within your social media realms, get rid of. Clear things up and I promise you, you will feel less stressed, happier, and healthier.