Many South student’s style of talking and writing have changed in recent years since the rise in use of electronics and with almost every electronic, comes social media. People in general, have changed due to the social media that all types of people use. However, not everyone’s reaction is the same when it comes to social media.

Some ways you could be affected by social media is that you write smaller words, write faster, or even need more help when it comes to spelling. Freshman Matthew Whitlock feels that it didn’t only change our school community’s writing and speech, it could even affect our personalities as well, especially the people who were born into this world full of electronics, which brought us social media. Whitlock feels that a lot of people might not communicate as well as they do now, if social media wasn’t a thing. “The world would be antisocial,” said Whitlock, trying to make a pun.

Freshman Emily Quintero doesn’t feel that she has been affected since she has almost no contact with social media because she is mostly focused on school. Quintero’s opinion is that people start to get a habit of writing and also saying way smaller words than we used to. Quintero also explained that she feels that people “wouldn’t be as social as we are, we would be more individual.”

Some students don’t agree with Whitlock or Quintero’s opinion, like freshman William Quito. He feels that without social media, everyone would be outside enjoying the fresh air and would be more athletic than they are now. Quinto can also see some effects in himself. “I am not on social media all the time, but I can see that I say smaller words now,” said Quito.

Roxanne Becker, an English teacher at South, has noticed many things changing with students because of social media. Becker thinks that students are less honest because they are more likely to lie online or in a post than in the have been in the past without social media. This dishonesty does transfer to relationships quickly.  Personal intimacy seems to be another effect from this. Becker feels that people these days are are more comfortable being distant, “For example, If I email you and then you email me, I don’t email you back, you and I will only email when I want to, not when you want,” says Becker.

Becker has also seen grammar and spelling changes by looking at her students assignments. “So many papers today are much too conversational and conversations are not grammatically based,” said Becker. Often times the logic of the sentence is lost in the structure or in the spelling. According to Becker, her students write like they text, wanting it to be over quickly. Writing is a process and most students today, and even some adults don’t take time to edit or review their posts.

Many different students at many different ages have been affected by social media. Watch your own language carefully and see if you are one of them.