Technology is growing every day and with that growth comes the growth of how the world operates.
Our generation and the younger ones have had the opportunity to grow with the evolving way the Internet impacts our society. One of the biggest impacts students are finding in college is social media and how it affects our lives. We use it to connect with friends close and far away.
However, the use for social media has gone above that, from websites Facebook and Twitter to LinkedIn and Pinterest. All of these sites have shaped the way for not only how we communicate, but how we share ideas, get jobs and our news. That is why our month’s theme for In Focus is about Social Media. It is a phenomenon that will shape future generations and the way we live.
One of the most popular things I hear these days is how social media and technology in general are affecting people and their social skills. We are more often communicating with people through a screen and the written word than chatting face to face with others. As I walk through the Union, I see students sitting by themselves with their heads bowed looking at their phones or computers. I also see people sitting together but doing the same thing, acting like they weren’t even with the other.
Some believe these interactions are causing our generation to lose valuable social skills that help us communicate with one another.
Another story we have is how social media affects our future, which includes jobs. There are certain companies that will ask to see a person’s Facebook or Twitter page in order to decide if they are the right person for the job. Even though those pages aren’t made for employers to be looking at, what we post there can have some major impacts. On the reverse side, there are some positions that want to see constant usage, like journalism or public relations that now have jobs especially for social media.
Also, we look at how students themselves are using social media to interact with one another. One way we do is with our organizations that we are involved with. Students are using social media to try and get more people to come to events and interact with the organizations. They are also promoting events for more private lives like parties.
I know one thing that got me was how I am invited to events on Facebook I never heard of from a person that I might not even talk with anymore. And with the people I do, I’ve noticed we aren’t officially invited to a party unless an invitation is received on Facebook.
Social media is changing every day, and I’m sure it will continue to grow along with our technology. Who knows what we will think of next.
