Technology & Me

Towards the end of middle school, I became an avid Snapchat and Instagram user before even having a phone. Social media can be a great tool if used responsibly.

Which social media sites do you use?

Snapchat: "Chat, Snap, and video call your friends from wherever you are."

A social media app that takes selfies with filters and allows individuals to easily connect with friends and family, the mega-popular social media app is totally innocent -- wrong. 

Snapchat is a very image-focused platform, increasing anxiety and can lead to body insecurities, eating disorders, FOMO, and bullying, but how can we fix this?

Instagram: "Sign up to see photos and videos from your friends."

Goes hand-in-hand with Snapchat. More than a billion people use Instagram. Everyone experiences social media differently. However, worsening body image concerns are seen in every 1 in 3 teenage girls.

The Instagram platform rarely delivers "stopping cues," unlike magazines, television shows, or video games.

What information about you could a visitor glean about you, even indirectly, by visiting your pages on social media?

Google Search... "Nicki Zapien"

1. Instagram Account: Personal
2. Facebook Account
3. Deleted TikTok Account: No Posts
4. Rainbow Bridge from Elementary School
5. Seacoast Online, a Local News Article

Google Search... "Nicolette Zapien"

1. LinkedIn Profile
2. Instagram: Class of 2025 Student Government Association
3. Sentinel Articles in the Local Newspaper
4. Seacoast Online, a Local News Article
5. York High School Honor Roll

Is My Relationship with Technology Healthy?

I have Attention Deficit Disorder (ADHD), which studies have shown to heavily increase the likelihood of depression. iPhones update us on our average screen time usage weekly. I average nearly five hours a day scrolling through Instagram, checking LinkedIn, and texting my friends. The suggested limit of social media use is 30 minutes per day.

Social media activates the brain's reward center by releasing dopamine. Each platform is designed to be addictive and quickly associated with anxiety, depression, and physical ailments.

Having social media impacted me too. It led me down the road of cyberbullying, anxiety, depression, and eating disorders.

However, social media has also been a great tool in my life. I've used social media not only to stay connected with my friends and family but as a social media manager for the Culinary Art Club at High Point University. I currently run the social media page for the Class of 2025 Student Government Association.

Cyberbullying: is using digital technologies to bully others behind a screen. It most frequently occurs on social media, messaging platforms, etc.

1. Posting lies, embarrassing photos, or videos of someone
2. Sending hurtful, abusive, and threatening messages
3. impersonating someone and harassing others

Physical Impacts:

1. Exhaustion, a Loss of Sleep, or Insomnia
2. Stomach aches
3. Headaches
4. Eyestrain
5. Back Pain
6. Neck Pain
7. Decreased Physical Activity

Mental Impacts:

1. FOMO
2. Negative Emphasis on Interactions
3. Comparing
4. Not Prioritizing Yourself
5. Suicidal Thoughts
6. Don't Engage in Risky Behavior
7. School Work and Relation Ships are Suffering

Is Social Media a Valid Source of Information?

Although I don't use social media to get my news information, around 18% of adults in the United States gets all their news from social media. From a Pew Research Center report, 18% of adults knew less about the pandemic, the 2020 election, and politics in general.

Social media comprises disinformation, which is false information, and misinformation, which is information someone spreads and is unaware that it's inaccurate. 

How to Use Social Media the Right Way:

Setting screen time limits is one of the many ways to properly use social media. 

1. Plan social gatherings with friends, and stop comparing. 
2. Exercise daily to increase endorphins, which release the effects of stress and improve overall mood.
3. Delete Social Media altogether.