A Letter to Myself
To a younger Thomas,
To you, the internet and social media right now is just funny videos on YouTube and chatting with friends on MSN. Your time on the computer is limited, and it’s a separate window from the life you lead during the rest of your day. I’d like you to know a little bit about what’s going to come.
As you get older, social media and technology will advance, and will become even more appealing to you. While appealing, they will also become more necessary to be a part of. You’ll need them to keep up with communicating with friends, and even for school work. You’re going to have more places to chat with your friends, and these new places will let you do more with them. You could share any aspect of your life with a big group of people, and you can view their lives too. It’s going to be pretty cool, and you’re going to like it a lot. But like you always hear, too much dessert spoils your dinner. So please take it easy with how much you spend on your devices. You’re going to get a smart phone which will allow you to take all of the fun social media sites with you everywhere all the time. You need to begin learning how to take breaks, and be safe as well. Don’t overshare. Too much time on there and your eyes go blurry, and you lose touch with reality. That isn’t reality, it’s just a version of it. You’re not alive in this awesome world to spend your whole life on a screen.
There’s another thing. I’ll call it a highlight reel. It’s where people only post the best moments of their lives for you to see, but nothing of what they actually do on the daily. So it’s going to get very easy for you to compare your average everyday moments of lying in bed at home, to your friends group pictures at a party. Don’t buy into this.
You’re creative, and you’re going to find new ways of sharing your life with others, like creating videos and vlogging. Just use this 1 rule: if you don’t want Mom seeing it, don’t post it. Simple as that.
When you get a little older, you’re going to start dating online. You’re going to talk to so many cool and attractive people, and it’s going to be really fun. Enjoy it, because you’re going to meet some really great people from it. But also know when to take a break. And be mindful of who you talk to. Not everyone is nice. Be ready to spot harassment when you see it, and do something about it. There will be people who really want to talk to you, and meet you. And you’re not always going to feel the same way. You need to learn to protect yourself before you try and please others. That’s something I’m still working on, but it’s very important. You always deserve to feel safe online.
I don’t think you will do this too much, but I just want to add this in. Don’t compare your worth to how much attention you get from others. Don’t every compare yourself to others and their lives either. Social media is a constructed, different reality and you shouldn’t take it very seriously, because you’re not seeing what’s really going on out there, and the ways it measures success and praise doesn’t have anything to do with how good you are.
That’s all. Have fun and be safe!
