Pros and Cons of Using Social Media as a College Student

Chances are, if you are a college student, you have used some form of social media in the past year – or even the past day. Or the past hour. Social media is defined as “forms of electronic communication through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content.” It can be a tool for marketing, sharing news, communicating with your friends, and more; however, it can also be a place where negativity spreads or scrolling steals hours of your time. So, what can college students gain from social media?  

Today’s college students are unique in that they have grown up knowing the existence of social media. They also tend to use it more than their millennial counterparts, averaging about 4.5 hours of use each day, as opposed to the average millennial’s 3.5 hours. There are both pros and cons to this increased usage of social media among the modern collegiate population.  

Pro: It helps students stay connected to people at home 

College, for many students, is a first foray outside of the world in which they grew up. It is a time for them to forge their own paths, which can be intimidating. Support from family and friends is crucial, not only during this period, but throughout the student’s college experience. Fortunately, in today’s world, social media is a resource for communication across hundreds of miles and state – or even country – lines. Not only can students message their friends and family at home directly, but they can share photos and videos, video-call, or send voice messages to them.  

Con: It can be really distracting 

Most students have felt the pull of other, perhaps more exciting activities when they are supposed to be doing something that they are not as interested in – such as homework. Scrolling through social media can seem like a “brain break” when the homework gets especially boring, but it is easy to scroll between videos that are just seconds long...for hours. Social media can end up drawing your attention from the task at hand for much longer than you intend. 

Pro: College students can keep up with what is going on across campus 

Most universities have pages on platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Various campus clubs and activities, including many at Concordia, often have an established presence on these platforms. On these pages, students can find out about upcoming events, campus news, and various on- and off-campus opportunities. Social media can also be a place where students can find updates from a variety of organizations on one streamlined platform, such as Instagram.  

Con: It can be a contributing factor in loneliness and unhealthy comparison 

Social media, especially on platforms that allow for the sharing of photos and documentation of one’s life experiences, tends to be more of a place for highlights and successes than the sharing of realistic, day-to-day life. Seeing others’ posts over and over that paint their lives as the epitome of happiness and satisfaction can be draining, especially if you spend hours scrolling through Instagram or Facebook. In fact, studies show that high usage of many social media platforms can increase feelings of loneliness and inadequacy.  

Pro: It can be a place to express yourself and your creativity 

YouTube is full of videos created by people who pour their passions into their craft, just like Instagram is overflowing with posts of the same nature and Facebook can be used for people to share and even buy and sell their handiwork. Being on these platforms can expose you to the vast range of others’ God-given gifts, as well as giving you a place to express yourself. Today, many people use social media to promote their brand, their work, or their skills, resulting in publicity and appreciation for their handiwork. 

Con: Students can use it dishonestly 

Yes, it’s one of the classic examples of the misuse of social media or the Internet in general – cheating. Students may use social media to share answers to tests. They could use AI tools like ChatGPT to generate convincing, albeit fake, responses to essay prompts. They could also use various technological tools, hidden during tests, to cheat in the moment. These occurrences may be difficult to execute, but they do happen. Therefore, honesty when using social media is of crucial importance to college students, especially those who want to take charge of their own learning while they study.  

Pro: It can help future employers find you 

According to CareerArc, as many as 92 percent of companies use social media in some form to hire new employees for jobs. Social media accounts are one place that employers may search to gain insight into a prospective employee’s values, habits and integrity. Plus, employees can even use it to search for or secure a position with a company. Platforms like LinkedIn, Indeed, and ZipRecruiter allow employees to connect with employers, find positions in their area and filter available jobs to discover ones that are the right fit for them. 

Con: What goes on the Internet tends to stay on the Internet 

“Digital permanence” is a term referring to the concept that anything that is created on or posted to the Internet stays there in some form for an indefinite period, regardless of whether its poster “deleted” it or not. For better or worse, the Internet keeps everything around, even if you no longer have access to it. Although this idea need not repel you from posting anything on social media, it may remind you to be mindful in all situations of what you do post to the Internet.  

Social media – and the Internet in general – has both its upsides and downsides. It is a place for creation, connection, and discovery, but also a place for comparison, distraction, and negativity. What it really comes down to, however, is how you utilize it. Social media itself is just a tool; when used wisely, it can lead to great things, and when used poorly, it can be negative or even destructive. As a college student, be mindful of your choices when it comes to social media, and keep in mind to “not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight” (Proverbs 3:21).