In today's society, it's pretty uncommon to come across someone that doesn't have an iPhone glued to their hands at all times. Keep in mind, there are the occasional Android users, or even the "technology is overrated" people that refuse to own anything other than a flip phone. However, it's nearly impossible to get by in today's fast paced world without some form of technology. Even schools and colleges are now utilizing social medias such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat to relay important information to their students and or fans.

The question is simple: Is social media a blessing or a curse?

Although there is no right or wrong answer to this controversy, older generations tend to give the cold shoulder to the "selfie generation" as they call it. I mean, come on, we're capable of more than just selfies - and let's get this straight too, Snapchat selfies definitely do not fall under the selfie category, end of discussion.

Yes, there are people that can't go five minutes without checking their phone (guilty as charged), but people don't realize the many benefits that come along with modern day technology.

Meeting and staying in touch with people.

One of the biggest blessings of social media, in my opinion, is the ability for us to stay connected with friends, family, significant others, co-workers, classmates, etc. Even though I'm headed off to college soon, thanks to my iPhone I can keep up with everyones' lives through their posts online. So you can guarantee that I will have stalked my best friends' new best friends (with no shame) by the time we all come home for Christmas break.

News at your fingertips.

No, we may not sit at the breakfast table and read the news paper with a cup of coffee every morning, but we still know what's going on in this crazy world of ours. News crews have taken to Twitter and Facebook to share important information to their followers with the ability to "retweet" and "share" what is posted. When anything significant happens you can bet your bottom dollar that it will be all over social media with hashtags and all. "#weareeducated" "#ipromise"

You'll never get lost.

Thanks to Siri, we know to "turn left here" or that "your destination is on the right." Without iPhones, we'd still be printing off directions from MapQuest, or who knows, maybe we'd be going super old school and reading a real map (yes, thanks to world geography we all still know how to do so, I swear).

Along with the good however, comes the ugly..

Transforming the dating world.

Unfortunately, the act of chivalry has diminished significantly since social media has shaped the dating world. Often times instead of a guy asking a girl on a date in person, he goes through this stage of "talking" - where the guy just texts the girl to get a feel for her before making any real moves. Or worst yet, a twitter DM reading, "You're hot! Text me?" This has assisted in making relationships less intimate and even led to the infamous "I can't believe you liked her picture?" or "How could you snapchat her?!" Whether or not these are just trust issues, social media is definitely to blame for part of these issues.

Altering body image.

Of course confidence is key, and if you're proud of your appearance then you go girl (or boy), however, social media has made it almost inevitable to compare yourself to someone online. Whether it's a Kardashian or a VS Angel, the social "norm" for body image has been completely altered by unrealistic expectations. Kim Kardashian makes sure to please her 72.4 million followers by posing and showing off her curves with no shame. She is just a prime example of the power that celebrities hold with their social media accounts. People only want to post the pictures that makes them look flawless. When in reality, they still wake up with bed hair and probably have a zit or two that you'd never know about because of the power of editing.

Cyber bullying.

And here I rest my final case, cyber bullying. I don't know if any of you took the time to watch the ABC Family special "Cyberbully," but if you have seen it, then I can guarantee that you were affected by it. One of my biggest pet peeves is people that hide behind social media and trash talk others online. Of course you can witness bullying in many ways, but the ability to create and post through anonymous accounts online has taken it to a whole new level. People don't realize that once they post something online, it's permanent, and words do hurt people. I know, I know, "sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me," but this is the farthest thing from true. Words hurt, and sometimes words hurt enough for people to believe that the only way out is to end their own lives. This is a social issue that needs to be put to an end.

So I ask the question again.. Is social media a blessing or a curse?