Hello everyone, and welcome back to my final blog post for this inquiry project. Throughout this project, I looked into how social media affects today’s generation, especially in terms of mental health, behaviour, and how people see themselves. In this post, I’m going to reflect on the challenges I faced, how my thinking changed, how this might affect me in the future, and what impact it could have on others.
a. What challenges did you overcome throughout this inquiry project? How did you overcome them?
One of the biggest challenges I faced was how broad this topic is. Social media affects so many different parts of life, so it was hard to figure out what to focus on without getting overwhelmed.
Another challenge was knowing what information to trust. There’s a lot of opinion-based stuff online about social media, so I had to make sure I was using actual facts and reliable sources. To deal with this, I broke my topic into smaller parts, like fake lifestyles and behavioural effects. That made it easier to stay organized and not go off track. It also helped me keep my work more balanced instead of just based on opinions.
b. How did this inquiry change the way you think?
This project definitely changed how I see social media. Before, I didn’t really think too deeply about it. It was just something I used every day for entertainment and talking to people.
Now I realize there’s a lot more to it. One of the biggest things that stood out to me was how fake some of it can be. People usually only post the best parts of their lives, which can make others compare themselves and feel worse about their own situation. I also learned about how it affects behaviour, like how easy it is to get addicted or waste a lot of time without even noticing. It made me realize that social media actually has a bigger impact on people than I thought.
c. How did this investigation impact your future decisions?
This project will probably change how I use social media moving forward. I’m more aware now of how it can affect my mindset and how I see myself.
Because of that, I want to start setting time limits so I’m not just scrolling for no reason. I also want to use it in more positive ways, like staying connected with people instead of comparing myself to unrealistic posts. Most importantly, I want to stay true to myself and not let social media influence how I think I should look or act.
d. What impact could this investigation have on others?
I think this project could help other people realize how much social media actually affects them. A lot of people don’t really think about it, but it can have a big impact on mental health and behaviour.
Social media might get people to think about their own habits and maybe make some changes, like spending less time on their phone or being more aware of what they’re looking at. On a bigger level, it shows that social media isn’t just harmless entertainment. It can shape how people think and feel. Overall, it shows why it’s important to have balance and not let it take over your life.
Thank you for following along throughout my research about social media, I hope you learned something new and I look forward to sharing my second inquiry!