Shedding light on the positivity of social media

Social media is popular with students and young people today, but it can sometimes be seen as a negative influence because it can be distracting, or even cause lack of sleep.

However, there are many positive things that come with social media.

Phone usage in the learning commons. Photo credits to Sarah Webster.

“With technology, and social media at the peak of revolution right now, it’s so easy to capture information in a split second . . . it can keep you in the loop of everything that is going on in the world,” said Brooke Bennett-Del Bono, a fourth-year new media student at Ryerson University. Bennett-Del Bono says that with having social media, you can connect with many people such as your peers, classmates, and professors.

Deanna Wilson, an early childhood education graduate from Humber College says that having social media makes it more convenient to contact people rather than making plans in person.

“Students usually have part time jobs, they usually live in a lot of different places, so it makes it a lot easier to keep up friendships without having to take time out of your study schedule to see each other,” said Wilson.

Wilson also says that she personally found it useful to have group chats online so it would be quicker to get in touch with classmates for group projects.

Katelyn Curtis using her phone before class. Photo credits to Sarah Webster.

Christine Szustaczek, the chief communications officer at the Trafalgar campus says that having social media can help people find and connect with other like-minded-people as well as help them to build a sense of community.

“Someone who is passionate about a topic, like protecting the environment, can easily find and connect with others who share their passion,” said Szustaczek.

Szustaczek also says that being online gives users the power to share information broadly with others without having to go through established media such as a newspaper.

A Sheridan student scrolling through his Twitter feed. Photo credits to Sarah Webster.

Social media is also a good way to stay connected at school.

“At Sheridan, we endeavour to positively engage with both prospective and current students by showcasing activities on campus, highlight our community’s successes, answer questions, or where possible, refer students to the appropriate supports,” said Nicole Woodall, the manager of public relations and social media at the Trafalgar campus.

Woodall said that they focus on making sure that they share relevant information in a timely manner.

If you want to know more about what’s going on at Sheridan, or if you need answers for specific information, you can follow the Facebook page, main Twitter and news Twitter accounts, and Sheridan’s Instagram.

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About Sarah Webster 0 Articles
A second year journalism student who hopes to be a video editor one day.