Written By: Kinsey Featherston
When hearing someone talk about the internet, you probably always find yourself bracing for and expecting the worst. They usually mention a distressing post, a fear-inducing news article, an ugly comment, or an embarrassing video of someone unknowingly filmed. And if you’re like me, being online causes more stress and frustration than relief. To my point, we are seeing many scientists and doctors recommend how important it is to cut back on screen time. Not just because of the light emitting from the screen, but because its effect on our mental health has reached extreme levels. The internet has become a modern day Wild West, and what we really need is a digital sheriff to ride into town and restore order to the virtual frontier. Now, I’m not naive – I know it’s not that simple and I understand that the internet will always have pockets of negativity because of those who enjoy being unkind, but that shouldn’t discourage us from making an effort to make it better.
We always hear, “be the change you want to see in the world.” Well, this article highlights a few Kansas teenagers who are taking that statement seriously. Students are becoming more aware of how mental health issues have been affecting their generation. Because of this, many of those teens are choosing to use their social media platforms to spread the message that “you are not alone.” By connecting with others through daily life content or stories that others feel seen by, these students are helping their peers understand that even if they may feel alone, there’s a whole community of other students who experience the same thoughts and feelings they have. By spreading awareness about mental health, giving a voice to marginalized social groups, or helping others see that they can love their bodies just the way they are, these students are making waves in their community.
I hope we can be encouraged by stories like these or even by accounts we may follow that promote good news and good content. And I hope that will motivate us to be aware of the things we share on our own social media platforms. One person’s choice to be kind online can impact so many others to do the same. And maybe, that impact can go on to change the online culture we primarily see today: anger, selfishness, and hostility. So, there may not be a digital sheriff who can come riding into town to save the day, but we can certainly all do our part to make our corner of the digital world a little bit kinder and a little bit brighter.
