LESSON 5

Digital Wellbeing

What you will learn in this lesson

What you will learn in this lesson

Angela searched for her name on the internet. She saw that the search results revealed her previous social media postings mocking other students, as well as all other offensive comments that she had previously felt were "fun."


How about you? Try to search your name on a search engine.


Are you comfortable with your search results?

Our internet reputation can be the impression someone else has of us.


Anything we post online, as well as what others write about us, can influence how others see us and how they judge us. 

While this is good news when the information is positive, it may be devastating when improper comments or photographs are posted online.

Article-Yes, College Admissions Officers Do Look at Applicants' Social Media, Survey Finds (1)-converted

Guidance counsellors often warn their students that college admissions officers may be taking a peek at their social media accounts. A new survey by Kaplan Test Prep Company confirms this as more than a hundred American college admissions officers say that they have visited sites like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube to get more information about a prospective student.


At the same time, when social media is used for good intentions, it can create good impressions of you. 


For example, if you run an Instagram account spreading awareness about mental health and wellbeing, it not only helps many people, but it also shows others that you are passionate about this topic!

We must remember that regardless of who or what we post about, the information can be copied and posted somewhere else! 

What can you do if you find an uncomfortable search result?


Review your privacy settings in your social media as we learned in Lesson 2

Stories gone Viral!

Angela uses social media to post about her daily life and one of her stories goes viral!

How do you think this incident impacts Angela personally? 

Online Choices

Remember you are in control of your digital existence. You can also control what you see, what you hear and which websites you visit.

Do you know who you add as friends or followers? 

How many people are you sharing a post with? 

Commit to making healthy online choices today:

Boundaries to protect self, respect when communicating with others 


We spend a lot of our time online which can affect our health and wellbeing in different ways.


If you feel like you’ve been on your laptop or phone for too long and start to feel uncomfortable, it might be time for a break. 

Think about your emotions after time spent online — what did you read or see that influenced your behavior? 


Did any comment/posting online make you feel a certain way?

Be conscious of how your digital behaviour affects your real life and set boundaries for yourself that make you more comfortable.


Remember that it's all about balance between managing our digital self as well as our physical self.

Here are some ways you can set healthy boundaries for yourself!

Click on the (+) button to learn more: 

References:

Community Reach Center. (2020, October 15). Social Media and Mental Health: Tips on Setting Boundaries. https://www.communityreachcenter.org/blog/social-media-and-mental-health-tips-on-setting-boundaries/ 

Zoella. (2020, August 31). 8 Ways to Create Healthy Boundaries Online. https://zoella.co.uk/2020/08/31/8-ways-to-create-healthy-boundaries-online/ 

Compassion and gratefulness 

As we are maintaining our digital wellbeing, it is important to practice compassion and gratitude to others. 


What are some ways you can show gratitude to others online?

Gratitude challenge! 


Post a positive comment on someone’s post!


Send a appreciation message to a friend 

Post a public appreciation post for someone in your life (friend, family member, teacher) 

Image credit: Canva

Compassion and gratefulness encourage people to feel more pleasant emotions, enjoy amazing moments, boost their health, cope with hardship, and form meaningful connections.


Thus, it is important to express compassion and gratefulness frequently with just a simple act of gratitude each day, not only to others but also to oneself!

Before you finish,


Write a nice or encouraging note to other students who will be learning this module just like you to keep them motivated. Also, don't forget to check out the other notes that have been left for you!