“Snap, Tweet, Like, Repeat: A Personal Journey through the Social Media Maze”

Social media and open education are closely intertwined in my perspective. When we think of social media, we often associate it with openness and accessibility for everyone. Social media can be both productive and unproductive, depending on our individual preferences. Each person uses social media according to their own choices. Speaking from personal experience, I consider myself an introvert who enjoys observing others on social media platforms while preferring to stay behind the camera. Recording or taking selfies makes me uncomfortable. Despite being a millennial who grew up without social media, I am an active user of all social media platforms.

Sometimes, I reminisce about my pre-teen years when I used to play with friends, siblings, and classmates without relying on gadgets. We engaged in activities that required physical and mental strength. Today, seeing children constantly occupied with gadgets from a young age makes me feel sad for them because they may miss out on creating cherished memories. I often wonder how the children of Generation Alpha will reminisce about their childhood when they reach adulthood.

However, the benefits of social media are numerous, and it has transformed our lives in countless ways. Personally, I use social media not as an outlet for self-expression but to actively stay updated on various platforms. These platforms include Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, WhatsApp, Twitter, TikTok, Telegram, and many more, all of which help individuals stay connected with the world. Among these, my favorite apps are Instagram and Snapchat. I actively use both platforms. Instagram allows me to explore a wide range of topics. I follow celebrities, influencers, friends, and family. What I appreciate most about Instagram is the diversity of content it offers. I follow accounts that provide motivation for life and decision-making, food bloggers, entertainers, educational pages, travelers, meme creators, and inspirational accounts. I have learned a great deal from this platform, and it has the power to instantly change my mood.

Snapchat, on the other hand, is where I mainly chat with my friends. I find it to be a safe platform in terms of privacy. What I particularly love about Snapchat is that it shows memories from previous years every day, instantly uplifting my mood.

After a certain phase of my life, social media has had a profoundly positive impact on my life. There was a time when I felt apprehensive about it due to a past relationship. There’s a long story behind it, but it led me to stop using social media for a while. When I eventually returned to it, I felt uneasy because I was afraid of becoming “social” again. However, time heals all wounds. I slowly regained my comfort with social media and began using it again a few years ago. Although I still don’t share much about myself on social media, I use it for personal growth. I hope to fully return to normalcy in due time. Social media has aided me in healing from past trauma as I listen to motivational speakers on Instagram and YouTube. I greatly admire Jay Shetty’s videos, which inspire me to lead a mindful life.

The way we use social media depends entirely on our individual preferences. While everything has its pros and cons, it is up to us to determine whether we use social media for productivity or merely for entertainment, comparing our lives to others and subsequently feeling down about it.