Youth. High school is teeming with students ranging from fresh out of Middle School or on the brink of being accepted into a dream college, an expectation is seen from peers, parents, and other students.

Perfection. Whether that’s academically, athletically, or what’s being focused on today- aesthetically. Despite what everyone tells you about getting good grades and getting better at sports, the blunt truth is that those aren’t a priority these days as many people are very focused on physical traits. Perfect smooth wavy hair, fit, well-developed, and equal muscle distribution, clean skin, good fashion, adequate height (which is very subjective), and proportionate face shape. These components all work together to make a conventionally attractive person. But in a world where phones are present, it’s not enough to judge just in person.

Social Media. TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat are the “big 3” when it comes to social media platforms. The whole point of social media is to show off the best parts of you and your life with many people’s accounts encompassing themselves, the special and momentous events they experienced, and all the good facets in their lives and good sides of their face and body. Because of our evolving world, Social Media plays a big role in schools for their students. Students post and advocate events, show off their school spirit, and display to other students (and schools) their position in their academics through clubs and other activities. But that’s being optimistic.

The truth. It’s optimistic to think Social Media and its use in schools are for school spirit but unfortunately, it’s not. Accounts are surfacing that ask other students to anonymously gossip and publicly show these responses. There are accounts made with the specific goal of shaming people with disgusting categories with the title “Worst ___.” And to top it all off, accounts made to shame the physical looks of others. Social Media and the transparency with the display of their users, it opens many opportunities for others to publicly judge and degrade those who are on display. As a result, students are put in a position where they are forced to mask these stigmas of bad attributes. People may use heavy amounts of makeup to cover up blemishes, ignore times to eat to maintain a good figure, and cover themselves in baggy clothing to cover and hide their bodily appearance. 

The harsh reality. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of suicides among females aged 15-24 increased by 87% over the last 20 years, and among males in the same age range, suicides rose by 30%​

 Reports show that 16% of high school students have experienced cyberbullying, which can lead to anxiety, depression, and negative self-perception

Adolescents who use social media frequently are more likely to compare themselves to others, which can result in feelings of inadequacy. A study from Loma Linda University highlights that the constant comparison with “seemingly perfect” lives on social media can lead to lowered self-esteem and dissatisfaction with one’s own life

Those statistics are just grains of sand in an abundance of negativity washing over the youth like the ocean to the tide. 

My final message. Never fully believe what you see on Social Media and never judge your character based on what you see others have that you may lack or become envious of. You are a person who deserves to be loved as well as have the opportunity to love yourself. Never put yourself in a position where your worth is based on what others think and what is casually seen through Social Media. It’s hard to believe but others experience the same levels of hardship that you do, and it is wrong to compare to what others have. Stay true to yourself and keep being you… for the sake of you.

Sources:

Holzbauer, Jessica. “The Impact of Social Media on Teens’ Mental Health.” University of Utah Health, 19 Aug. 2024, healthcare.utah.edu/the-impact-of-social-media-on-teens-mental-health.

“Social Media Effects on Teens: Impact on Self-Esteem.” Child Mind Institute, childmind.org/article/how-using-social-media-affects-teenagers.

Acosta, Laura. “The Impacts of Social Media on Youth Self-Image.” Loma Linda University Health News, 10 Oct. 2024, news.llu.edu/the-impacts-of-social-media-on-youth-self-image.