1. In search of the perfect selfie.

Social media has produced a generation of teens that value that all too perfect photo. Many have gone to extremes just to get that photo that inspires awe. I have seen posts of teenagers on the brim of the Grand Canyon, feet from a great white shark, and hanging off a building high in the air just to get a unique camera shot. All teenagers seem to get caught up in this at some point. I have been with friends so many times when the evening is mostly about the picture, and not about enjoying one another's company. I feel like life for teenagers has become more about a series of pictures and less about experiences. I, personally, do not like missing out on the moments of joy in order to get a picture. I have found that the times that I forget about my phone and just enjoy the moment, are the best times to be had.

2. "I got invited, did you?"

School life has been complicated by social media. Years ago, kids went home after school and never really knew what other kids were doing in their free time. You might have heard about a birthday party that you were not invited to, but the pictures were not plastered for all to see. Teenagers are confronted with these photos daily and it causes them to feel isolated, inferior, and excluded. It has empowered other teens to feel superior and popular. I have had experiences with finding out on social media that I was the only one not invited to the beach. It hurt so much more seeing all the fun things that my friends were doing. I feel as if I had just heard my friends were there, but did not see the photos, it would not have hurt nearly as bad. Social media has created an environment that for the most part is very hurtful for teens.

3. "How many followers do you have?"

I remember in junior high, kids would ask how many followers you had. It was as if this was the entire measure of your worth as a person. I always kept my social media accounts on a private setting and made sure I personally knew every follower that I let follow me. I saw many of my friends let strangers, including older men, follow them and comment on their photos. I found this to be not only very creepy, but also a safety risk. In this day of child trafficking, social media can provide your name, location, car you drive, where you live, what school you go to, and who your friends are. Social media has caused many young teens to sacrifice their safety and privacy for popularity. The intrigue of a viral post or having your picture on the popular page is too much of an allure for young teens.

4. I am going to be the next top model.

It has been interesting to observe how many high school girls have turned their social media accounts away from posting about friends and events they are participating in, to posting modeling photos. Many of the girls receive comments about modeling opportunities or becoming a promoter for a product. Research could indicate if this route for finding modeling work is one that is worthy or a waste of time. It would also be interesting to research the companies that post on user's profiles. I would want to know if they are legitimate companies or a front for approaching young women. A study five years later involving women that invested their time into these photo shoots and posting themselves could reveal if they regretted spending the time enjoying fun with their friends and if they felt like they had put too much of themselves out there on social media.

5. My purse is Gucci and my shoes are Prada.

One thing posters on social media tend to do, is to post expensive clothes, purses, and jewelry. Teenagers went through a phase a couple of years ago when they all thought they had to have a Gucci belt. Many thought everyone had one. Social media can obscure reality in more ways that just socially. It can create a desire for material belongings that can never be quenched. New products are displayed daily and flaunted by celebrities and our friends. Research could show if teens felt happiness and fulfillment more with or without social media. I would assert that without social media constantly showing you what you don't have, but supposedly need, you would not care as much about the trends, or latest products.

6. Boldness behind the screen

Manners are changing, but it is more apparent on social media than anywhere else. In real life, most of us would never insult or be as blunt as people tend to be on social media. Writing is lacking the facial expressions, postures, and gestures that help us to understand how to interpret what someone is saying. What one person means as a joke, another might interpret as an insult. Social media has helped to create poor communicators who say whatever they are thinking without a filter. A survey would be interesting to see if people had said things on social media that they would never say in real life, and later regretted. Studies from sociologists and psychologists would help us to determine what allows some teens to feel empowered to speak so boldly. Studies could also show why some people decide to be courteous while others act so maliciously.

7. Twitter Mouth and the Tiny Mouse

Of course, there are many types of social media posters. However, we see two extremes that seem to stand out. Twitter mouth is the person that posts every detail of their day, as if we all care what they had for breakfast. Their postings' invasive quality cause the other extreme, which we will call "tiny mouse". This person feels insignificant in comparison and is very quiet on social media. Research could illustrate the behavior of these same types of people in real life. Is someone who is a twitter mouth also outgoing in person or are they actually shy. Does social media bring out a different side to them? Psychological research could also tell us which of these personality types are more critical thinkers.