Keep this in mind..

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Almost everyone has their own social media/networking accounts.  I think it started out a few years ago, when Friendster started.  I had those accounts too.  Since Friendster, I also had different accounts on different sites -- Multiply, MySpace, Facebook & Twitter.  At first, I never really though of how this would affect me, or if it would affect me - either positive or negative - at all.

Who does that anyway? Would anyone think of what and how sites like Facebook and Twitter affect them in the long-run?  Of course, today, there would be a lot of things to say on how these social networking sites affect us (not to mention all the reminders on local media). But in the beginning, when every site was at their peak, have anyone though of these sites' corresponding effects? Have you?

As I was lecturing myself on why I signed-up for all these accounts and how it would affect me in the long-run, I saw an article.  It was entitled "4 Ways Social Media Is Chenging Your Relationships" by Dr. Rachna Jain of Social Media Examiner. Her article was to "examine how social media is changing our interpersonal psychology and what you can do about it," as it says on the last sentence of her article's introduction.  I felt curious and enticed with that sentence and so I continued to read her article.

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In her article, Dr. Jain indicated four (4) important ways on how Social Media changes one's interpersonal psychology/relationship. She said that these ways are:

1. Allows you to connect with more people more.
2. Makes it easy to overestimate level of intimacy.
3. You're more susceptible to social media contagion effect.
4. Comparing yourself with others.

Basically, her article are about the explanations of these four "important ways" of how social media affects one's interpersonal relationship. I guess, everything she said made sense. Although, I must admit, only the first "way" was the only one which may be considered positive compared to the rest.  The second until the fourth are all, sadly, the negative sides of social media.

Well in my very own opinion, I admit that I gained friends through social media. I became friends with many whom, although I see everyday then during high school and now in college, I thought were snob. Furthermore, I had the chance to get to know many people.

Regarding her second note, I must proudly say that, I am not easily confused with digital intimacy and true intimacy. I always keep in mind what my mom used to tell me "Do not trust easily. Mahirap na." Also, with all the pranks nowadays? Never will I trust easily on anyone whom I only met online. And for the record, social contagion effect and comparing myself with others, I guess, are not my problems as of now.

I would also like to include in here some of Dr. Jain's tips on how to benefit from social media:

1. Limit the time you spend on social networks.
2. Monitor your won emotions and reactions.
3. Take care not to compare yourself too often to others.
4. Set goals or guidelines for your business relationships.
5. Maintain a balance between your online and offline life.

These tips, exactly, are what I am keeping in mind. I am doing my very best not to forget about my personal life in exchange to what I can achieve through social media. It would be a little impossible (with me, at least) to totally give up social media because I already got used to it. It became my own stress-reliever in some ways. Although, I admit that I am now improving. I now use the computer/internet, mostly, for academic purposes. I guess, my laptop being broken is one factor. (Haha!) Nevertheless, still improving! ♥