24 brainspacemagazine.com @BrainspaceMag /BrainspaceMagazinemedia
Digital natives (noun):The generation of people who grew
up entirely in the digital age. Digital
natives are comfortable with technology
and computers from an early age and
consider the Internet to be an integral
and necessary part of their lives.For us digital natives, life with the Internet is all we
have ever known. We use it every day to connect, learn,
and pass the time without ever thinking twice about
what life was like before this endless resource.
At the centre of our Internet use is social media.
Digital natives spend an average of 34 hours online
per week, with most of this time spent using social
media. Websites and apps like Facebook, Twitter,
Instagram, and Snapchat allow us to keep in constant
communication with our closest friends and develop
new relationships wherever we go.While social media is very powerful, we must also use
it carefully and responsibly. From one digital native to
another, here are five quick tips to ensure that your
social media use has a positive impact on those you
interact with online and, most importantly, your own
mental health.Social media is a highlight reel. Instagram and
Snapchat allow people to post the best moments of their
lives without exposing any of the lows. It can be hard
not to compare your everyday life to someone else’s
carefully curated highlight reel, but try to remember:
the small moments that do not get posted online are
just as important as the big moments that do.1
About the Author:
Rory Gilheany is like you. He has been
surrounded by technology and social
media his entire life. This has made
him interested in understanding how
we use the Internet and the ways we
can use it better together.