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 - Debangshi 

 

Three words that define an entire generation. Sometimes in a healthy way, sometimes in a complex way, rather. Social media no longer revolves around a few apps anymore, it's a parallel world people carry in their pockets. It shapes our mornings, from brushing our teeth and having breakfast and follows us into the night long after we are done with our work. But what is it doing to us? How is it affecting us so much? There's a certain magic in social media. A friend, kilometres away, feels just a text apart. Strangers become communities. Voices that went unheard once, echo loudly now. Whether it's about raising funds, spreading awareness or discovering opportunities, social media has become a platform that empowers. It has turned creativity into a career, information into power and ordinary people into global influencers. In many ways, it brings the world to our friendships. So exciting and colourful, isn't it? 

Yet sadly, there is a hidden weight that people carry. Behind the bright screens, lies a quieter paler reality. We compare our everyday lives with someone else's ‘post of the day’. We chase likes, as if somehow it validates us. The pressure to look perfect, act perfect, live perfect- it is exhausting, even if we never admit it. Social media has successfully created an illusion that everyone has figured out their lives except us. And slowly, without even noticing, it chips away at our confidence and peace. For many, the constant noise becomes a burden. The question that bothers us the most is “how much is perfect enough?”, well nobody has the answer to it. Social media is officially a sword for young minds because for the youth, the impact is even sharper. This is the place where they learn, laugh, express, escape, and almost live. This is also the place where they encounter cyber bullying, unrealistic beauty standards and misinformation. Yes social media can inspire them, but it can also mislead them. The screen often becomes a mirror that reflects insecurity more than reality. 

Now the question arises: where do we go from here? The truth is simple- social media is neither good, nor bad. It is powerful. Its impact depends on how one uses it. A tool that connects billions will naturally shape our emotions, choices and the way we behave. But balance is possible, always. Logging off sometimes is not disconnecting. Its necessary isolation which is temporary. In the end, social media is a grand event: vibrant, chaotic, constantly evolving and sometimes hurtful too. It can lift us, distract us, teach us and also, overwhelm us. Understanding the impacts helps us take control of the narrative. Well, at the end of the day, the real world, with its imperfect faces, unfiltered moments and honest conversations, still matters the most.

-Mrittika