As spring break wraps up and people return to school, a lot of posts flood social media with photos from the variety of trips people took. Students even posted multiple times over the week, which raises questions about whether people are really taking the time to kick back and relax or spending too much time posing and taking photos just to post on social media.

According to a study done by the Pew Research Center, 74% of teens feel more connected to their peers through using social media like Instagram and Snapchat. This highlights the mental health and social benefits of using social media regularly and keeping your profile up to date to show people what you are up to.

¨I feel like it’s definitely helped me feel more connected due to the fact that I’m seeing so many different groups of like people and more interests and more hobbies. And, you know, it really helps me learn more about things,” junior Aiden McDonald Poole said.

Research done by BMC Psychology suggests social media can create stress and comparison, as well as increase sadness due to the pressure of trying to create posts and keep up with what your peers are doing. Additionally, this pressure highlights the importance of finding ways to manage social media use and develop healthier habits to reduce its negative impact on mental well-being.

¨People need to stop comparing themselves. I think that’s really important, because a lot of people look at it like a post of somebody, they look so gorgeous. I look nothing like them. But people need to look at themselves and see the good aspects of themselves, rather than compare themselves to others,¨ senior Parker Harris said.

The American Psychological Association says research has shown that some teens can feel overwhelmed by social media like Instagram, Twitte and TikTok, leading to more stress in their personal lives and making a more negative impact on teens.

According to Bella Stewart, being constantly exposed to large amounts of information on platforms like TikTok and Instagram can feel overwhelming and may negatively affect users.

Another study by the Pew Research Center finds that about one-third of teens say they are on at least one social media platform “almost constantly.” The article mentions that up to 90% of teens use YouTube during their average day. It also says 48% of teens in their study agree that this behavior affects teens negatively.