Opinion by ErinCramer

Ding. Ding. Ding. 

You snatch the phone from underneath your pillow and throw your homework aside, desperate to see what notifications lit up your screen. Subconsciously, you crave the artificial dopamine that spikes the second you absorb the endless information at your fingertips. 

Social media often begins as a way to communicate and be connected with peers, but instead plunges teenagers into an addiction to the number of likes and comments their posts receive. 

This school year, students don’t have their phone on their immediate body during the school day, thanks to new state law, but social media and its impact on high school culture stays strong. 

According to a 2024 Pew Research Center study, more than half of teens in the United States are on TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram. While it may not be a shock that a majority of the young population utilize a source of social media, the study also found more than 10% of teenagers self-report that they are on these apps “almost constantly.” 

Additionally, approximately one third of teenagers are on a form of social media almost constantly. This would be equivalent to about 14 million teenagers who receive electronic input for a majority of their day. 

According to the 2023 U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory, frequent social media use is associated with changes in the parts of the brain responsible for learning and emotional regulation. The most obvious of these effects is the link of social media usage to mental health concerns, especially depression. 

This typically stems from the loneliness that evolves from social media. In a study conducted in the Netherlands, researchers found that in those who spent two hours a day on social media, there was a heightening of perceived loneliness and isolation. And to complete this vicious cycle, those who reported more loneliness ended up spending more time scrolling. 

Social media is a twisted joke. The more artificial connections we seem to have, the lonelier we feel. But how do these vast scientific studies actually translate to our real lives? Well, it starts with this idea of deeper connection. 

First things first, and I’m going to say it: Get rid of group chats. Talk to your friends in person. Let’s be honest, the only reason you have that group chat is because of freshman year homecoming. You know it’s annoying when it constantly goes off, it makes other people feel left out and it’s really a pain to double check you didn’t accidentally press send on a text meant for your friend. Let the group chat fade away and make plans in person. It builds that connection that we as developing high schoolers need. 

Next, find yourself outside of social media. Social media may make you think that you are involved and that you will miss out if you aren’t on it at all times, but you are sorely mistaken. 

Your self worth is not tied to how many likes you get or how many people text you— instead, your worth is determined by the love you give and who you innately are. 

Finally, choose to be the person who makes others feel connected and loved so they can stop chasing artificial relationships. You have so much more power and influence over someone’s life than you ever thought possible. Use it for the better. 

Sometimes it can feel like high school is a never-ending nightmare, but person by person, we can change the world by changing ourselves and our relationships with social media.