How does social media impact my life...

The impact social media has on my life is truly dependent on my mental vulnerability at any given point. In the past when I have been stressed out or resentful towards certain people, I have caught myself conjuring the social media world up to be an environment of hostility and - worse - an ongoing, yet entirely meaningless popularity contest among peers. With a negative mindset, my brain automatically classifies every post I encounter on social media under "annoying," "boring," or "offensive." Social media is essentially a virtual stage; when we log on, the floor is ours and we are allowed to speak our minds. Often times, however, I believe people lose sight of their audience - this is when posts start to offend others. On the flip side, when manipulated appropriately, social media can be incredibly influential and a very powerful tool. Social media has enhanced all levels of communication. I rely on social media to stay in touch, informed, and updated. Admittedly, I do not remember the last time I picked up a newspaper and read an article in full. In closing, someone once told me, "treat social media as if you were walking down the street - you wouldn't walk down the street naked, you wouldn't walk down the street cursing at people...so, don't expose yourself on social media in ways you wouldn't if you were just walking down the street."