Pressure of Social Media on Students

“What are you planning to do after you graduate?”

This is a question that university students have heard one too many times already. It doesn’t really help out when we’re not even sure ourselves, and we’re just taking the opportunity in school to learn and grow.

I’ve been lucky to hear statements that provide me with a sense of comfort as I try to figure out exactly what it is what I want to do, and I end up feeling stuck:

“You’re young. You have so much time to go back to school if you want. You don’t have to have it all figured out right now. Stay in school as long as you want.”

Even though my mother’s tried to provide me with the absolute most support she can, it’s become a battle for me to balance the two. What do you do when you’ve heard from some people you absolutely respect in the industry that you have to start setting yourself up for success NOW?

It really gets you thinking:

What if I let all this time slip away with no internship, and I can’t land myself a job? Sure, I’ll go back to school (which I probably have to do anyway because millennials are expected to have a higher education for some of the most basic job. Trust me, I’ve seen it firsthand at my previous job). But what then?

All of this being said, I think it creates an incredible amount of pressure of students, and can lead to a decline of mental health. It becomes difficult to balance school alone at times, and with higher standards expected of us, we’re also expected to balance a part-time job and at times, even an internship.

It also really doesn’t help when you factor in social media. Consider this: you’re already lost and trying to figure yourself out, and you scroll through your social media to see people who seem to have their lives figured out.

So much for an esteem-boost, huh?

I think too many people compare themselves to what they see on social media, but it’s kind of hard not to do when you have the world at your own fingertips.

The problem with that though is you’re comparing yourself to a filtered profile. Behind the screen lies a person who experiences emotions and the whirlwind that is life, just like you. You wouldn’t be able to tell this through social media though because filtering posts is literally eliminating an entire aspect of humans and the spectrum of emotions that we experience.

So, on top of students trying to get through school and figuring themselves out, they have to deal with social media. It’s complicated, and can lead to mental health issues that are not so widely spoken about. In a world that becomes increasingly involved in social media, it’s important to remember to breathe in and out, and know yourself.

If you have any thoughts or opinions about this, leave a comment below or reach me on Twitter at @skxndil.