Surviving Social Media

We know, we know, you can’t live without your Twitter, Snapchat or Instagram. But some of the posts and pictures that pop up in the social media world really shouldn’t be posted. While in today’s age, it seems that everything’s acceptable, posting inappropriate things and oversharing your life is something that should be taken more seriously.

What’s with the inappropriate pictures? Come on. Most high schoolers are not even 18, so posting half nudes and revealing cleavage is kind of borderline sexting. Plus, nothing’s more attractive than someone who’s classy. Someone who is classy just looks like they have it all together, someone who knows what they are doing with their life.

Speaking of class, for the sake of the public, don’t be ignorant or blatantly rude. Trying to be the funny guy by using fat or racial jokes is really just overrated. And let’s not get started on passive aggressive posts. You’re basically talking behind someones back, gossiping.

Another thing that isn’t too classy is cussing. Don’t drop the F-bomb in every tweet. Do you kiss your mom with that mouth? Not only does it make you sound uneducated, but there’s a dictionary of other words you can use that will work just as well if not better.

Your sleep schedule, and all 2,000 selfies, are some of the things that qualify as oversharing. If you post an update on your cat or meal, you’re oversharing. Posting every single fight you and your other half have, is oversharing. The only person who cares about you that much is your mom. Some may argue that if everyone else is over posting, what’s the harm? Well, for one thing, it can put you at risk for things like identity theft and other scams.

Most troubling, all these inappropriate and oversharing posts can really get you in trouble later down the line. You post your tweet now but little do you know, it could hurt you when colleges are looking at you for admissions and scholarships. University athletic programs often check a student’s social media presence and employers do too.

Learning to be aware of your world and place online has quickly become a vital skill in our lives. Saying the wrong thing or publically announcing your opinions can have serious outcomes in all areas from college to job to love interests to your reputation in the general public’s eye. It’s important to know the consequences of your actions, and while it may be hard to understand at a young age, it’ll help you later in life.

All in all, learning to have a healthy sensor on all of your social media sites, like the ability to not post another tweet about going to the bathroom or share a photo with alcohol in it, will really pay off when you get into the college of your dreams or finally get that amazing job.