Social networking websites have been around for awhile now and people have different opinions on whether they are good or not. Our parents generally are of the view that these websites are ruining the actual joy of life and surprisingly some of our peers (though very few) also seem to have a similar point of view. Honestly, most of us haven’t really thought about it and have just been going with the flow and somehow rarely there’s a day when we miss out on logging into these websites. I have had the opportunity of enjoying life both before and after the advent of social networking and would like to share my point of view.
Social networking was not a big thing until I was in the eighth grade. Imagine life without it. It wasn’t bad actually. I had a lot of friends to hang out with and believe me we used to know each other’s schedule without reading posts or stories. The fact that most of us lived in the same building helped our cause even more. Just a call from one of the guys and we knew it was time to head out and play. The concept of chatting was non-existent. Yes, it seems unreal but there was a time when life was so different. Obviously, not all of my friends lived in my vicinity. I remember trying to discuss every possible point with friends before returning home from school as phone calls were expensive at the time. Today, when one of our friends is on vacation, we get to see real-time pictures and almost get a feel of the location. What I miss is the way we used to do it earlier. Once the friend was back from his vacation, he would share his experience and actually go into storytelling mode. It was different, it was enjoyable. So, in a nutshell, life still was amazing without social networking.
By the time I was in eighth grade, social networking was a new thing in the market and within two years, it was a part of most people’s life. Connecting with people became easier, we made friends with people we hardly knew, chatting for hours was the new way of expressing emotions, life pretty much turned on its head. I personally believe the advent of social networking was one of the primary reasons I started staying awake late in the night (not that I’m proud of it). It’s amazing how chatting with normal text messages has almost become obsolete with so many apps and websites where we can chat for no charges. Honestly, I loved every part of this new world. The memorable pictures we clicked with friends and families finally found a place to shine. We could share how we were feeling on a particular day and the world would know it. Also, I believe social networking is one of the best ways to stay connected with people we’re not in contact with as they’re no more staying in our building or studying in the same school or working in the same company. It has brought the world closer.
To conclude, I strongly disagree with the opinion that social media has stopped us from communicating face to face or has restricted us from outdoor activities or has inhibited us from having a cup of coffee with friends. I miss my childhood days because I had more leisure time then. It has got nothing to do with social networking. I enjoyed my life before it, but with it, I still can have the same fun and a lot more. Social networking actually makes me feel at home despite not being at home. I consider it to be a boon for mankind and it’s just about using it in the right spirit just like every other activity in our life!
