In today’s hyper, fast paced environment, it can be hard to stop and smell the roses. This is especially the case when you are in college. This is why social media can be so important. An active social life is important, but when you are constantly in and out of classes and studying for exams, you’ll need a quick dose of social time via any one of the social media platforms, like Facebook or Instagram. However, you want to be sure that you know how to use social media in a constructive way. If you don’t, you could wind up using it the wrong way and wasting hours and hours of your day. Of course, the wrong way includes using social media for unproductive reasons or as a time waster. Also, many college students use social media as a means to procrastinate. Here are some of the do’s and don’ts for college students using social media.
DO: Use Social Media as it is Intended
That is, to spend time with friends online and connect with people back home or living far away. Indeed, if you start missing home, social media can be an amazing tool to chat with old high school friends or to make announcements to your whole social circle.
DON’T: Use Social Media to Kill Time
The more time you kill in college, the more you are taking away from the time you have to study. If you are taking one of Maryville’s online DNP programs, you want to avoid sinking into a social media vortex, because it will take away from the work you have to do. Indeed, you want to give yourself time limits. There are even apps that will shut down your browser if you spend too much time using social media. All you have to do is flip the switch and a hidden timer will count down.
DO: Use Social Media with the Notion That a Potential Employer Will See Your Profile
When you set up your page, you want to open the privacy settings. Ideally, you want to make your profile public because you want employers to see your information. You can now think of your social media page as a living resume of sorts. What you don’t want to do is include photos of you at parties or engaging in other activities that may not look positive or professional to a potential employer. If you are afraid that a friend may post them, you may want to close your privacy setting on your profile so nothing can wind up on your profile without your consent.
DON’T: Use Social Media as a Way to Bully Others
On top of everything, you don’t want to use social media to troll or to talk bad about people. This is the opposite of what social media is about. Social media is about culture of sharing, open communication and building connections. It is not about making rude comments about peoples’ bodies or lifestyle preferences. In the end, the more you use social media, the more you will learn how to use it appropriately.