Social media has become a part of our everyday lives. It is a tool that allows us to keep in touch with our friends and family, as well as to stay updated with the latest news. If you are someone who doesn’t use social media often, it can be confusing which platforms are used for certain content. What is the difference between Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat anyway? How do I know when to tweet, rather than post or snap? 

Many students at Beavercreek High School stay in the loop with a variety of social media platforms. Among the most popular is Snapchat, as it is the quickest method of communication. Junior Cole Roberts says that Snapchat is his favorite platform because “it’s much easier to find people on Snapchat than to ask people for other people’s phone numbers.” Through a feature on the app called “quick-add,” users can practically find anyone’s account. Privacy settings restrict any communication until the added user has accepted the request.

Instagram is another popular social media source, but it is used for an entirely different purpose: sharing big life moments with your followers. Birthdays, vacations, and new phases of life are all examples of what is typically posted on someone’s Instagram account. Senior Samantha Thomas, a member of the BHS Cross Country team, says that she uses social media to stay in touch with college coaches that are recruiting her. With Instagram, she is able to view what her possible college teams are up to, such as what meets they are competing in and how well their season is going.

Twitter, more than any other social media platform, essentially serves as a news outlet. Many students at BHS use Twitter to stay updated with the school’s sports teams and other extracurricular groups. Apart from school, tweets relay the latest happenings with professional and college sports, politics, and pop culture. If you want to stay current with the school and the world’s current events, Twitter is undoubtedly the most beneficial.

Of course, we are well aware of the dangers and consequences of social media. Maintaining privacy settings and being careful of who we let view our accounts are precautions that most users adhere to. Another risk that BHS students are aware of is obsession. It’s a fact that endlessly scrolling can become an unhealthy habit. Comparing oneself to others on social media makes matters even worse. 

When used in moderation, social media can serve as a range of communication tools that allow users to connect, learn, and dispense information. When you’re plugged in, it is difficult to miss the latest sports news, political debate, and even the most recent endeavors of your long-distance friend. Within Beavercreek High School, social media brings us closer together as a community. Whether you’re on a sports team, in show choir, or a member of marching band, you can always keep up with school-wide news.