In the Susquehanna Valley, parents often strive to keep their children safe, guide them well, and wish them happiness. However, what about the students themselves? School districts and parents have been focused on various issues, but we wanted to understand the student perspective. WGAL News 8's Meredith Jorgensen sat down with a group of Lancaster County students to ask the questions parents seek answers to.

Social Media Platforms and Usage

These students have a presence on multiple social media platforms. Jason said, "I have Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube." Aminah added, "I'm on Instagram. I do have TikTok, and I do have Snapchat." Keyannie explained, "TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, all those platforms. I usually use them at different times of the day. Not all at once."Julian said, "I wouldn't say addicted, but I'm on it when I'm bored." He uses TikTok to make videos of him playing video games. Aminah described Snapchat as an app to be with friends and text them, while Pinterest is for the creative. Dyz'Zir said, "I usually look at TikTok to see what people are doing and clips."These students don't post as much as they scroll. When they do post, their parents are monitoring them, and they haven't been told to take things down. Jason said, "Because I don't really post crazy stuff like that."

The Impact of Likes

When Jason gets likes on his videos, he feels a rush. He said, "When I get likes, and it's my most liked video, I'm like, let's go! I don't get a lot of likes, but I'm still happy."

The Impact of Social Media on Mental Health

Aminah emphasized the negative impact of social media. She said, "I think the impact of social media can be a cause and effect of things like cyberbullying. Making a post about someone and it going viral can lead to everyone ganging up against one person. Both sides of the story get told, and it can really ruin a person's self-esteem and confidence."Sarai shared her experience, "I had TikTok and Snapchat, and the videos I was seeing weren't great for me as I was still growing. Since I don't have it anymore, it's a bit better."

Taking Control of Online Actions

Tyra encouraged young people to take control. She said, "If people are bullying you online, you can block them, delete the app, or report them. But it's about how you let it influence you. Sometimes you just keep feeding into it, but it affects your mental health if you let it."The students offered words of wisdom. Sarai said, "We should just accept people for who they are and be respectful." Dyz'Zir added, "Don't worry about other people and just focus on yourself."