Media Use

We’re all guilty of it—scrolling enviously through our feeds, staring at all the pretty pictures and reading about our friends’ “glamorous” lives. But here’s the thing: the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. Have you ever heard someone refer to social media as a highlight reel? This means…

If you’re an avid social media user—say of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, or all of the above—you’ve probably wondered at some point in your life if your habits would be considered healthy… or if there might be some room for improvement. Fortunately, Licensed Professional Counselor Julie Williamson is here to…

The capabilities and functionalities of social media are absolutely awe-inspiring. I mean, these platforms allow us to upload our thoughts and our experiences to the web in a matter of seconds; they enable us to have instant conversations with people on the complete opposite side of the world; and they…

We joke with one another about being addicted to our smartphones, eyes glued to whatever social platform we have pulled up at the time, but have you ever actually considered the possibility? Oftentimes, I reach for my phone and open Instagram or Snapchat without thinking twice or even realizing I’m…

Social media was made to connect—it’s primary purpose being to enable communication and foster an interconnectedness amongst us that never existed before. And while it may have accomplished that mission to some degree, it also came with some serious drawbacks, or as some may say, side effects: like harrowing feelings…

The topic of conversation on my favorite radio show this morning was the new-age approach to meeting and mingling with others: online dating. But they weren’t talking about any average guy or gal signing up for Match.com or swiping left and right on Tinder—they were talking about married guys and…

When my ex and I broke up, I immediately unfollowed him on Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook. Not because I was resentful or petty—but because I knew I needed a clean break. Seeing his photos and status updates would only upset me and prevent me from moving forward. So, much to…

Social media is in one word powerful. It allows us to connect with and build relationships with people all over the world in a matter of seconds—which I think we can all agree is truly amazing. But is it too powerful? Since the development of social media platforms, like Instagram…

Have you ever listened to the same song over and over and over again? Maybe it’s your first time hearing it, and you love it so much that you can’t resist playing it a few more times. Or maybe it’s a classic that’s been around for decades and every now…

When I was a junior in college, I studied abroad and taught English to hundreds of kids in Rwanda for five weeks. Those five weeks were the most exciting and influential weeks of my life—but they came with a fair amount of difficulties. Among those difficulties: learning to communicate with…

A popular topic of conversation (at least in the world of psychology) is whether or not video games make people more aggressive. For years, the bulk of research said yes, they certainly do; even the American Psychological Association declared violent video games—such as Halo and Call of Duty—a danger to…

I’ve never had the best of luck with technology—but these past couple months have been particularly horrible. To start, my iPhone went haywire: it started dying at a 50% charge, it would turn off any time I tried to listen to my Pandora app, and it froze whenever I typed,…