What Happens on Social Media, Stays on Social Media by Nicole

What Happens on Social Media, Stays on Social Media by Nicole - April 2016 Scholarship Essay

Knowing what I know now, one piece of advice I would educate younger students about would be the importance of knowing that everything you do from ninth grade on matters, and to keep that in mind when making their everyday decisions.
More often than not students think they can get away with things and that nobody will find out the poor decisions that they make. However, with the social media we have today, one inappropriate picture of you can follow you for the rest of your life. High school is usually when people start experimenting with drugs and alcohol, not realizing the consequences that posting pictures of this can have on them. One mistake can negatively impact the rest of someones life and eliminate their chances of getting into the college they want, or even the job that they applied for.
As beneficial as social media can be for us, it can be much more harmful in the long run. Many students don't realize that anything posted outside of school can easily be brought into the school and dealt with under their jurisdiction. Based upon the severity of the photos, the school can be obligated to notify the police and leave matters in their hands. This can ultimately lead to criminal prosecution, which will follow you for the rest of your life.
Although criminal prosecution is not the most common result, it has happened in the past and can happen again. This is why it is still important for younger students to be aware of this and avoid situations that can ultimately lead to a negative outcome.