Talking on the phone, snapping, and texting are all common ways of communicating. People get so lost in conversations online that sometimes they forget the importance of in-person relationships.
There can be some important aspects of online communication. The way people talk online and what people decide to post on social media can say a lot about someone’s character. Also, the way people talk to other people over the internet is another great way of figuring out how they might act towards others in person.
“A lot of character traits are expressed through photos and what people post, and it has a lot to do with how people act and what they will do in a relationship,” Hunter Avriett, a Lakeland High School sophomore, said.
The internet and social media can also be a great way to make new friends and meet new people. It can be an amazing way to connect with new people in life, but there is a safety aspect that has to come into play.
Meeting new people online can be a gateway to new relationships, but without knowing them outside of social media, it can be dangerous.
People pretend to be someone when they are hiding behind a screen when in reality, they are a completely different person. It can be dangerous to make a close friendship with someone online without meeting them in person or finding out who they truly are through a mutual party.
Another positive aspect of online chatting is that it helps to strengthen the bond between people. The ability to talk to people online and express the way they feel without the worry or aspect of others around can build a deeper connection.
“It helps express your feelings for that person through posting them,” Avriett said.
When two people are in a relationship, the ability for constant communication helps to keep the feelings and connection between the two strong. Without the aspect of texting and even snapping pictures, relationships nowadays can struggle immensely.
Noah Bodak, a student at LHS, has many friendships with people outside of LHS. With the help of social media, keeping in contact can be easier.
“Since we go to different schools, it’s harder for us to see each other, so it is easier for us to communicate with each other over text,” Bodak said.
Another downside of texting online can be when a tone used over text is misinterpreted and thought of as something unintended. It is hard to communicate in the correct tone of a message when it is texted instead of spoken directly to the person, which can lead to issues.
“It causes more fights because we don’t get to use the correct tone over text,” Bodak said.
All in all, social media is a great way to make new friends and strengthen relationships if people do not abuse it. Once it is abused, social media can become dangerous.
