In the midst of this year’s election, there has been a countless number of angry Facebook posts and Tweets, saying things like “posting about how upset you are about the election isn’t going to change that the people elected Donald Trump as our President.” But isn't the whole point of social media is to speak about our thoughts and feelings? As Millennials, we should be taking advantage of the opportunities that we are given to speak our mind through such platforms, in the click of a button.

As our society continue to grows technologically, people are becoming more inclined to keep up with news and current events through social media and apps. Statistically, most young adults are informed of major stories through social media, compared to sitting through an entire newscast or reading a newspaper. Younger people find it easier to get the main points of a story through social media, as well as to get different viewpoints, as opposed to a newspaper or newscast which can be one-sided.

With this being said, posting your opinion on social media reaches a wider audience than you may believe. Once people are interested in hearing about a story, it is so easy to type in keywords in the search bar with posts relating to that story. This is why it is so important for people to have a voice on social media because your post could reach people who you may not even know. With Facebook having a share button and Twitter having a retweet button, your post could easily reach people of different languages and backgrounds in the blink of an eye. In addition to all of this, many of us go through our lives scrolling through articles and posts, reading about subjects and topics on which we have no formal standpoint on the issue. By posting your opinion on social media, you may be able to sway a neutral reader’s opinion on the issue and give them insight on why you believe a certain way. Lastly, we all come from different backgrounds and have experienced different things, which is what makes us all different. Having social media as a platform to share your experiences and knowledge with those around you is so valuable.

Social media definitely played a major role in the 2016 Presidential Election. There has been petitions circling around and hashtags such as #NotMyPresident and #ImStillWithHer. People should not feel discouraged to join in on hashtags and petitions on subjects in which they are passionate about. Also, by joining a hashtag or a petition, you will be able to meet new people who share common views with you. By sharing our passion and knowledge with the world, through the power of social media, we are each contributing to making each other better and making our world a better place to live in.

It is so important for us, especially in response to this hectic election period, to encourage one another to keep posting and tweeting our opinions. You never know where your standpoint will end up and how it will impact other people.