In today’s world, social media has taken over. Or at least taken over the younger generations. We truly are the kids raised on technology in many aspects of the word. Since we’re so involved with it, do we even realize the effects all the different platforms, pictures, and messages have on us? If not, well, let’s look into it.

All you hear these days is the negative effects and aspects of social media. And I agree that social media can be a real pain sometimes. Studies have shown that social media increases the occurrences of cyberbullying, decreases productivity, lead to more sadness, less privacy, a sense of competition or depression when comparing your life to others, and can lead to a decrease in real life conversations and connections.

These are all valid arguments and are true in many cases, however, there are some positive sides to social media that people tend to overlook, focusing all their energy on the negative. There has to be some reason most people in younger generations are in a social media craze.

Sites like Pinterest inspire creativity and new ideas daily, if not more than that. With so many DIY instructions for a multitude of crafts, home improvement, makeup, hair, and more there’s no time to be bored. It only takes one search to come up with something new to occupy your time. With thousands of different people inputting, there’s always room to think outside the box and be inspired by others’ ideas.

Multiple platforms can also be used for education. You never know what useful tip or article you’ll find on Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter. It’s so easy these days to find out anything you need. Obscure paper due next week on a subject that nobody knows about? It’s just a search away (just make sure to cite your sources correctly).

Almost any site you go on can be used as a tool to speak out.You might feel like you don’t have a voice, but that feeling might begin to go away if you post a word or two about something you’re passionate about. Since social media is so broad and there are so many people on it, it’s not hard to find others who share your own beliefs and opinions. If shared the right way, your message might even be seen by hundreds or thousands. You can create your own voice and broadcast it across the internet.

Some might not believe me when I say this, but being active on social media can actually improve confidence. You get to post selfies, and pictures of you and your friends and over time become more comfortable posting pictures of yourself and showing off your true beauty. It also helps you hone certain skills like writing, getting your point across in only a few words and/or picture, digital photo editing, and many more. After all, practice makes perfect.

Apps like Snapchat are perfect ways to reach out to your friends and connect with them digitally face to face. When you're stuck at home, in a long distance relationship, live hours away from your bestie, or if you're traveling. This gives you the best way to see each other and still feel close when you are unable to meet up in person.

So what are we waiting for? Social media may be scary, which is understandable, but it is also a place where so many good things can happen. Why not take advantage of them? Just make sure to stay safe, reasonable, and kind. Go have fun, kids!