“Students, faculty, and guests at this time we will observe a moment of silence.” Every morning, Monday through Friday, we hear that announcement over the intercom. Now the question is how many of you actually use your phones during the moment of silence? My presumption is that 90% of you use your phones even when the bell rings to start the school day. Many students and faculty alike have a habit of using their phones during the duration of school. In reality, how many of us can go without using our phones? More specifically, our social media? Haven’t thought about it much as of now right? As a student who uses their 95% of the time for social media, in and out of school, there is a definite chance that I wouldn’t be able to go a day without using it! That statement is ironic yet immensely accurate. If you’re under the age of 14, imagine you being so attached to posting on your social media every day until all of a sudden, you wouldn’t have any access to Instagram, Snapchat or Twitter! Teens, children, and adults have never before used nearly as much social media as our generation does. How would we all act if we didn’t have social media? It would probably become a life-changing experience.

“It made planning my 10-year high school reunion easier and I probably would not talk to those who were in high school with me, if it wasn’t for Facebook/Instagram,” said Mrs. Casey Donson, a journalism teacher at Heritage. Donson shared with her students during class about how social media would have affected her if it didn’t exist.  Social media takes a big part in people’s lives, especially for those who make living off of social media, known as “social media influencers.” How would someone make money for themselves? In a world dominated by every possible platform of social media, it’s sometimes hard to imagine life without our beloved Instagram and Snapchat accounts. After all, they keep us connected to our friends, family, and the world at large. We share our everyday lives and our every move. 

Many people of every living generation use social media daily. It isn’t a surprise that many can’t give social media up, but life sure would be different without it!