AvaWeis

As the first generation to grow up with smartphones, Gen-Z faces the challenge of navigating a chronically online world. But what should and should not be shared on the internet?

In a recent Network survey of 175 students, opinions were split evenly: 50% of Marian girls had discussed posting practices with their parents, while the other 50% had not. 

Mrs. Jaime Piernicky, a mathematics teacher and Marian mom, talks about her experience with social media as well as raising teens who are on social media. She said, “I am very glad social media did not exist when I was your age. We had room for mistakes.” The permanence and visibility of social media posts make mistakes more public and nearly impossible to erase in today’s world. Piernicky explained that pictures she took in high school were not posted for the world to view. In fact, the pictures Piernicky took with her high school friends are still only viewed by those friends. 

Piernicky also enjoyed being able to go home and escape the social world and just relax. This is a luxury that many teens do not have these days.

She went on to tell how fake social media can be. “People say things on there that they just wouldn’t say in real life whether negative or positive.” The anonymity of online comments as well as the lack of face-to-face communication causes social media users to feel more comfortable making comments that they would not say out loud to the other person’s face. This makes people wonder what is genuine and what is not. 

Piernicky explained how parenting teenagers on social media can be challenging as she knows that colleges and future employers are able to see the posts that her children make, so she just wants them to be wise. The pictures and videos that are posted today are always going to be online. It is nearly impossible to completely delete posts due to screenshotting and reposting. Finding balance in what to post can be tricky.

In 2006, Piernicky took a break from teaching to stay at home and raise her children. In 2015, she came back into the teaching profession and realized that social media popularity had erupted. She began to notice that “Students were more distracted, and there was a huge increase in anxiety in the classroom.” This anxiety could have been a factor of the feeling to need to look and act perfect that is shown on social media platforms. 

Piernicky knows that the anxiety could have already been present, but now there is an openness to talk about this anxiety and ask for help. When she was in school there were “Multiple kids in a class with anxiety, but you just powered through it.” Social media has brought more open discussions about anxiety and other common issues.

While challenging to balance, Piernicky knows that social media also comes with many benefits. Some of these are keeping up with former students and people that she does not get to see in person very often. She said she loves “Looking at social media and seeing what they are up to.”

Piernicky also enjoys keeping up with her daughter, Betsy ‘24, while she is studying in Italy through a Creighton University program. When Piernicky was in college, she was only able to call her parents on Sunday because making calls was so expensive. It gives her piece of mind to be able to FaceTime and keep up with Betsy and her adventures in Europe. 

Piernicky says “I could never have predicted this.” No one knew that Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and other platforms were going to be such a frequent part of our everyday lives. Learning to navigate these social media platforms is a learning curve, so in today’s digital world, talking openly about social media with people you trust can protect your reputation and relationships.

 Letting your parents as well as friends and other family members know what you do and do not want posted can make you feel more comfortable about your digital footprint. Balancing what to post and what not to post can be challenging, but having open communication can help. All it takes is one conversation.