For many high school students, social media is part of everyday life. Students use their phones between classes, after school, at home even while working on homework.
However, not every social media app is used in the same way. Instagram, Tiktok, Snapchat and other platforms each offer different experiences, which can affect how students communicate, entertain themselves and stay connected.
For students, Instagram is often a place to see what friends are doing, share pictures and keep up with people they know. Students can post photos, videos, and stories, while also using direct messages to talk privately. Instagram can feel more personal because users often choose what they want their profile to look like.
“I mainly use Instagram to see what my friends are doing and keep up with people I don’t see every day. I feel like Instagram is more about actually knowing the people you follow,” said Jaylen Davis, sophomore.
Tiktok offers a different experience. Instead of mainly seeing posts from friends, students can spend hours watching videos recommended to them on their For You page (FYP). The videos can range from comedy and sports to music, school-related content and current trends. Because the content changes constantly, students may discover something new every time they open the app.
“I use TikTok the most because there’s always something new to watch. I’ll open the app for a few minutes and then somehow end up scrolling for an hour,” said Aubrey Wilson, freshman.
TikTok can also affect what students talk about at school. A popular sound, joke or trend can spread quickly from someone’s phone to an entire group of friends. Students who spend time on the app may recognize the same references and trends that their classmates are seeing.
Snapchat is different because it is often used for quick conversations between friends. Instead of worrying about creating a perfect post, students can send pictures, videos or messages directly to one another. Group chats and stories can also make it easier for the students to stay connected throughout the day.
“I probably use Snapchat the most to talk to my friends. It’s more casual than Instagram because you can just send a picture or message without having to actually make a post,” said Aaron Cox, junior.
The differences between these apps can also affect how students present themselves online. On Instagram, a student might think carefully about which picture to post. On Snapchat, the same student might send a random picture to a friend without spending much time editing it. TikTok is different again because students can create or watch content without necessarily communicating directly with people they know.
Another major difference is how students discover information. Social media can introduce students to new music, movies, sports, fashion, hobbies and even news. At the same time, students may see information that is inaccurate or taken out of context. This means students have to think carefully about what they see online instead of automatically believing every post or video.
“I think every app is different depending on what you’re using it for. I use Instagram to keep up with people, Snapchat to talk to friends and TikTok when I just want to be entertained,” said Olivia Heijboer, senior.
For high school students, social media is not simply about posting pictures or watching videos. It can influence conversations, friendships and the trends students see around them. Different apps provide different ways to communicate and express themselves, so students may use several platforms for entirely different reasons.
Ultimately, there is no single social media app that every student uses in the same way. One student might prefer Instagram for staying updated with friends, another might spend more time watching TikTok videos, and another might mainly use Snapchat to communicate. These differences show how social media has become a personalized part of student life.
As social media continues to change, students will likely continue finding new ways to use it. Whether they are sharing a photo, sending a message or watching a video that suddenly becomes popular, social media has become an important part of how many students connect with the world around them.
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