With the world becoming more connected through digital communication, social events are becoming less interactive and meaningful. From how people used to speak to one another because of new slang, to unrealism in some situations because of fictional movies, influencers, and misleading promotions online. 

I believe that obsession with social media has greatly impacted the way people go about daily life. The publication Bloom Tampa-Bay looked at 27 online dating statistics back in 2023. Here, there was a constant recurrence of people promoting themselves on social media platforms. People started putting characteristics about themselves that others may find attractive online, like height, hobbies, looks, etc. Many insecurities can bloom from this, as individuals scrolling and absorbing this content may develop high expectations for themselves and become jealous of this unrealistic image that others put forth online. The personas people put online are rarely accurate depictions of their lives, and in some cases are straight-up false. Some people give out false information about themselves to catfish others, which can further negatively impact the veiwer’s expectations of other people, as they are inevitably comparing themselves to an expectation that is not even real. 

Another basic skill that social media has impacted is our ability to maintain a conversation with someone. Because of the distraction of electronic devices, face-to-face communication is not as intimate and thoughtful as it used to be. With screens and notifications, it is easy to get distracted, causing the conversation to rapidly end. When feeling awkward in a social setting, it is easy to look at your phone, and in turn, make the other person feel obligated to do the same, to avoid feeling uncomfortable, which can also lead to the end of a conversation. These examples disconnect two people, or even a whole group, from each other, making it harder to socialize with each other, hence ending the conversation. 

But have no fear, there is a solution. It may be difficult, but you can prevent yourself from using your phone with discipline and motivation. Go outside and hang out with friends. When within the vicinity of friendly individuals, the thought of your phone’s whereabouts would move to the back of your mind.