Wake up.  Check Instagram.  Brush your teeth and shower while listening to Spotify.  Check Tumblr on the bus to school.  Scroll through Twitter.  Maintain your Snapchat streaks.  There are endless options for social media online that teens are getting their hands on.  Social media like Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr, and more are opening portals for young people to make their mark in the world.

“I use social media fairly frequently.  I probably spend an hour a day on it, on average,” says Arrowhead junior Sam Cox.  “I use Instagram, Tumblr, and Snapchat.”  According to a study conducted by the Pew Research Center, 56% of teens aged 13-17 go online several times a day to check social media.  This is time that can be used for other things, like homework, biking, hanging out with friends, and more.  “It’s also been bad for me sometimes.  It encourages procrastinating, and I’ve received lower grades because of it before.”

One of the most popular ways to access social media is through mobile apps.  According to Statista, 93% of teens have access to a phone or tablet that can access the internet.  Many social media sites have apps designed for popular phone and tablet models, such as Apple’s iPhone or Samsung’s Android, and even Windows Phones.  Some social media, like Instagram and Snapchat, can only be accessed through mobile.

For some teens, blogging and social media sites don’t have as much of an impact on their lives.  “I don’t have a lot of followers and it doesn’t influence my self esteem,” says Arrowhead senior Veronica Church.  “I use social media probably for two hours daily and I use Tumblr for the majority of it.  I don’t think social media has impacted my life.  I grew up as it was evolving so I’m used to it I guess, nothing is really surprising about it.”

Internet culture also has a huge impact on teenagers.  Internet memes and textposts have changed how we use social media, and many teens have made two or more accounts on some social media sites: one to post memes or textposts and one to post personal pictures of themselves.  “I feel like social media memes and trends are actually very important for a modern society,” says Cox, who also runs a textpost and meme account on Tumblr.  “These trends can help us as a global community unite towards common goals, spread information, and help make everyone a little happier.  For instance, social media trends allow second-by-second coverage of events, both good and bad, by participants.”

Still, teens have lives outside of social media and enjoy other hobbies.  “When I’m not online, I like to go for walks and work out or visit my friends in Sheboygan,” says Church.