Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Snapchat... the list goes on and on. Social media has been the new thing for a couple of years, now. It has it perks, but it also has its downfalls -- as anything does. Yes, it is a great way to get a look into someone's life, see how they are doing and what they are doing, but not everything about social media is true.
ESPN unveiled a story about a 19 year-old college student athlete who, from the outside looking in, had an amazing life. Her Instagram always had pictures of her and her friends looking like the were having so much fun. She was an absolutely beautiful girl on the outside, but on the inside she was struggling with major depression. She took her own life on January 17, 2014 by running off the ninth level of a parking garage.
Now, that may be an extreme example of the negative connotations of social media, but things like that happen every day. The Bachelorette, Kaitlyn Bristowe, received some hateful comments all throughout many forms of all social media. Her Twitter and Instagram feed were blown up every Monday night by the hateful and rude things people had to say about her time on the popular ABC show. She said in an interview that she was receiving death threats. The host of the show, Chris Harrison, took some time to reveal some of these monsters on social media and call them cyber bullies. This is 100 percent true. Cyber bullying is a real thing and it is a dangerous thing. This also leads people to harm themselves.
Not all things about social media are bad, however. It gives people a platform to put things out there that they believe in. Presidential candidates like Hillary Clinton are reaching out to people over Snapchat to convey their message. Twitter is another form of communication between people who normally do not talk. Celebrities like to reach out to their fans on twitter or Instagram. It is a way for them to stay in touch with their fan base and sometimes even broaden it.
The power of social media can make or break a person. Not everyone is as strong as the public may think. Reading some of the hateful comments celebrities get on a daily basis can be a wake up call for some people. Just people you have the power to comment on something does not mean that you need to. Everyone always has something to say and nine out of ten times on social media it is not nice.
Greek life has recently been taking heat about social media. Alpha Phi at Alabama had a rush video that they have taken down because it raised so many hateful comments. The video was not in anyway meant to be taken the way it did. It was a bunch of sorority sisters having fun with each other trying to convince other girls to join their beloved sorority. The girls are not the only ones taking heat though. Sigma Nu at the University of Central Florida was suspended after a very controversial video of some of the brothers had been leaked.
The negatives are the only views being talked about on a day to day basis concerning social media and greek life however that is not always the case. Many sororities on our campus have Instagram accounts that like to highlight the amazing bond they have with each other and how much fun they like to have. It also gives them a platform to tell people about their philanthropy events. This is a way to give people a little look into what it is like to be a part of that sorority.
Not everyone knows the effect that social media has on the outlook of things. Greek life is more than scandal and everyone who is in the community knows that but if they are not they only hear of the negative stories. My sorority, Tri Delta, has nationally made the biggest commitment to St. Jude in raising $60 million in 10 years. Nationally, the sorority raised $1.7 million last year, alone. However, those stories are not the ones that are shared. It is a shame because the money that greek life can raise has an affect on a child's life.
Social media has become a toll that is both used and abused. It is up to every single person to decide wether you are going to a user or an abuser of it. The Odyssey gives me a platform to speak my mind. I am trying to the best of my ability to use it and not abuse it.
