Students use social media a lot, so the Catalyst asked three freshman parents to reflect on their daughters’ social media use and to give an insight on how much they really know about their daughter’s time on the Internet.

The Catalyst (TC): When did your daughter start using social media? And how often does she use it?

Sepi Vafi (SV): Nikka started using social media in the 7th grade and uses it everyday

(TC): What is your opinion on your daughter using social media – do you think it’s good or bad?

(SV): I don’t think Nikka using social media is bad, but I don’t think it’s great either. Sometimes Nikka uses her phone instead of socializing with us, which is really time consuming.

(TC): Do you put limits to her using social media -do you take away her phone or say she can’t use it past a certain time?

(SV): I only take away her phone if she is not doing good in school or disrespects us, but I don’t take away her phone, because I trust her.

(TC):Are you a user of social media yourself? If so how has it positively or negatively impacted your life?

(SV): I use instagram and facebook, and it has positively impacted my life by allowing me keep in touch with my friends and family that I haven’t seen in a long time. Negatively, it is very time consuming, so I try to use it only once a day. Overall, social media positively allows me to stay connected with my family that I don’t get to see everyday.

(TC): What is your opinion on the App Free Challenge at NDB?

(SV): “I think it brings awareness, especially to Nikka, if they can make her not use it for a week that would be great, but I think that it would be hard.” It would be great if the challenge could get students to put down their phones to see how much they can accomplish in a week.

The Catalyst (TC): How often does your daughter use her phone or technology since she does not use social media?

Michelle Baldenegro (MB): All day long.

(TC): What does your daughter do in her free time if she does not use social media?

(MB): Kaelyn enjoys reading and watching tv.

(TC: What is your opinion on social media? Do you think it is good or bad?

(MB): “I think that it has good qualities, but it can be abused. I think it can be used as a weapon for bullying. I think that the kids can get wrapped up in the things that people say and feel like they need to compete.” Even grownups compare their lives to other people around them.

(TC): Besides the negative aspects of social media, what are the positives?

(MB): I think that social media is a healthy way to connect to people if they live across the country. “It fosters a level of connection to each other’s lives through photos and daily happenings for eachother, so it helps keep those connections and friendships going.”

(TC): Are you a user of social media yourself? Which apps do you use? And how has it positively or negatively impacted you?

(MB): I use Facebook, Instagram, and I don’t use snapchat as much. I haven’t had any negative impacts from social media. “Positively its enables me to communicate with my family who are not local, and share experiences that me or Kaelyn have in our everyday life that they can’t be apart of.” Social media also allows me to see what Kaelyn and I don’t get to experience with what’s going on in our families lives.

(TC): What is your opinion on the App Free Challenge at NDB?

(MB): I thought the challenge was a good idea, because Kaelyn was going to do it from the perspective of not going on Youtube, but she didn’t have the other social medias to fit the requirement. I think the challenge is a good way for the kids to have a healthy break from social media to see the difference it makes in their lives.

The Catalyst (TC): How often does your daughter use her phone or technology?

Jennifer Peters (JP): Payton uses her phone a lot. Before school, Payton spends 15-20 minutes and after school she uses her phone for many hours.

(TC): What does your daughter use on her phone if she does not use social media?

(JP): Payton texts, emails, and plays games.

(TC): What is your opinion on the App Free Challenge at NDB?

(JP): “I think it’s a wonderful.”  I think it’s good for everyone to see what it’s like to not have social media for a week.

(TC) Do you use social media yourself? How often do you use them?

(JP): “I have facebook, instagram, and pinterest. I use them daily for a good amount of time.”

(TC): Do you think using your social media is a positive or negative impact in your life?

(JP):  I think that it’s a positive impact, because it helps me keep in touch with people that I don’t get to see very often. Having social media can be negative, because everyone posts only positive things about themselves. “It creates an environment where people think that only good things are happening to other people.”