According to an article by the Mayo Clinic, a 2018 Pew Research Center survey shows that 97% out of 750 13-17-year-olds use social media platforms, and 45% report being online almost constantly. As a 15-year-old girl in 2021 who has a profile on almost every social media app, that number does not surprise me.

There are many reasons why I am not the biggest fan of talking over social media, one being the people misrepresenting themselves and who they are. Since you are over the phone, it is so easy to disguise yourself to be whoever you want to be. While this might be a fun idea for some, it can be a frightening experience when it happens to you. 

Now I will admit, social media can be beneficial for many different reasons, I have friends and family that I would never talk to if I didn’t have social media to stay in touch with,  but the problem with this way of thinking is you can very easily contradict it.  

Acknowledging the fact that social media can also separate me from those who are closer in proximity has helped me to realize how much social media has really taken away from our generation.

I always hear about when my parents were teens and how much fun they had, and at the end of the day, I believe that the lack of social media played a big role in that.  My parents went to the mall, the movies, and had in-person face-to-face contact with their friends daily. They did not have social media and cell phone screens to separate them from making deep connections and great memories.

We also can’t ignore how social media has changed the way people communicate with others. It kills me when I receive a Snapchat from someone saying “you single?’ without them even trying to get to know me or learn my name! It’s like people forgot how to have common decency and how to start a good conversation.

Getting texts like this makes me wish I could live my teenage life as my parents did. It makes me envy the characters in romance movies when they receive an innocent love letter or go on multiple dates before making anything too official because that is how you really get to know someone!

If you want to know how to impress me, then write me a letter.  It doesn’t have to be anything too fancy, but it does show that you put effort into addressing me instead of texting me “sup” to start a conversation. And if you think that writing me a letter is not your cup of tea, then just walk up and talk to me! I would much rather see your face and hear your voice rather than read your half-written texts. 

In my eyes, there is nothing more attractive than good communication skills and showing you care. Even if you can’t write me a letter, or walk up and talk to me, at least make an effort when texting me. Say hello, or good morning, or how are you. Show me you are not just a robot who is programmed to say “sup” or “yo shawty.” Address me like I am human. I promise if you do this, you will have my full and undivided attention.