Guest Writer Devon Gross
Some people are naturally charismatic and friendly. They can make friends without really even trying, and they’re just meant to be the life of any and every party. Other people are the exact opposite.
Many shy people struggle with social anxiety and self-doubt, preventing them from doing things like starting a conversation with other people or even going to parties.
Enter the new technological 21st Century world we all live in today. Things like texting and instant messaging changed the world of communication as we know it. It gives people a new platform to openly express themselves.
Social media can give the shy kid who gets anxious at the sheer idea of giving a presentation, a new place to make new connections with other people.
My point is, that some people are just better with the digital written words and others have the ability to communicate through face to face interactions.
Texting is not an evil thing, it helps people communicate in a better more efficient way. It gives people an opportunity to reach out to others and will give them the confidence to try to break out of their shell in real life as well.
According to CNN Health 57 percent of teens ages, 13 to 17 said that social media made them feel more outgoing or less shy. Another 52 percent of teens said that social media has positively affected their relationships with their friends.
“Online it’s a lot easier to openly communicate with people,” said Loy Norrix sophomore Saryna Pineau. “I feel like I’m a lot more fun over text then I am in real life.”
Although cyberbullying is a major concern for most parents when seeing their child sign up for their first Instagram account, according to Pacer’s National Bullying Center, only 25 percent of teens using social media have reported cyberbullying.
The world we know today will continue to grow and change, our technology is always modernizing, and no one can predict how our world will advance.
In the meantime, modern communication and social media are benefiting teens and their confidence to make connections with new people. Why is that such a bad thing?