Put down your device

Social media is a topic that many bloggers have been covering lately. And most of these bloggers are adults, nott that there is anything wrong with adult bloggers but the social media networks are the territory of the teens. So let me say a couple things about social media from the point of view of a high school student.
I would rather have real, physical friends than followers or "friends" who I've never actually met in person. There's some connections that can only be established on a personal, face to face basis. I don't believe that our social media followers can compare to real life social interactions. One thing that has bothered me a lot this school year is the amount that other students use their phones. When a teacher gave us freetine in a class today, the kids around me pulled out their phones and got onto Instagram, Facebook, ect. There was no one around for me to talk to because everyone was plugged into their phones. My generation is slowly losing it's ability to communicate with actually physical beings instead of through a portable screen.
There is this video that I recently saw that I really likes. "Put down your device, look up from your display." Now this may seem a little contradicting coming from a blogger. But I do believe that the technology we have can be used for the benefit or harm of our world. The harm is when we let the liking and posting and status updates interfere with our real, personal relationships with family and friends.
For all the crap that social media gets there are some benefits. I have family that lives across the country and we use social media to keep in touch. We can see pictures and videos of our cousins growing up. Sites like Instagram help me to keep in touch with friends who are already in college and out in the world. I have a friend who is in Jerusalem right now and she posts on Instagram to keep us all involved in her adventures across an ocean.
Use social media, and just technology in general, carefully. Don't let them drive a wedge between you and your real life relations. Learn when you need to put down your device and look up from your display. Step away from the artificial light of a screen and go out in the sun. It's brighter than any phone, computer or tv screen you will see. Go live your life, don't post it.