Social media is a huge part of our everyday lives. We use it to stay connected, share moments, and keep up with what’s going on. But let’s be real—it’s not always a good thing. As a high school student, I’ve noticed how social media affects people around me, and honestly, I think it’s doing more harm than we realize.

I spend a couple of hours on apps like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat every day. And while it’s fun, I can also feel how it distracts me from school and even brings my mood down sometimes. People are constantly comparing themselves to others online, and that can make you feel like you’re not good enough or not doing enough.

I talked to Amyah Dancer, a junior at Tupelo High School, about how social media impacts school. “I think social media harms academic performance because students are so worried about what’s going on in other people’s lives rather than in the real world,” she said. “It also takes away joy because people are commonly comparing their lives and themselves with people and things they see on social media.” I totally agree with her—social media can seriously mess with your mindset.

Another junior, Victoria Johnson, told me she thinks schools should do more to help with this. “Yes, I feel like schools should fit in here and there about responsibilities when it comes to social media,” she said. “Social media can be a great tool, but we need to learn how to use it wisely and not let it control us.”

At the end of the day, social media isn’t going anywhere. But that doesn’t mean we can’t do something about how it affects us. I think schools should teach students how to use social media in a healthy way. If we learn to control it instead of letting it control us, we’ll be way better off.