Students' Responses to the following: Imagine if someone was able to “look into the mind of a teenager”, which one or combination of the following ideas comes to mind: social media, family, school, makeup/appearance, friends, cell phones or something else.
"When I think about someone "looking into the mind of a teen" social media, friends, and cell phones come to mind. Teens today are so obsessed with their phones and social media to the point where they don't even watch television, read books, or even play outside anymore. It's as if their phones is their entertainment which is not a good thing. When I was younger, we didn't have phones, which I believe to be a better way to grow up. I got the chance to play outside and meet new people. Nowadays, everyone is known behind the screen and sometimes people portray themselves as someone different on social media. Teens use to have lots of friends but the only friends they'll consider their friends are the ones they see in class every day. But as soon as the weekend comes, they are back to being alone and wanting a boyfriend or girlfriend to satisfy their needs of loneliness"
Shamel
"Actually all of the topics come to mind when I think about someone "looking into the mind of a teen." A lot of stuff is going on in a mind of a teen. Ra relationship is one of the ideas. As a teen, we do not know what love is. We may think we have an understanding but we actually don't. Some of us may experience love but some experience puppy love. And this will end up in heartbreak. Another thing that is in our minds is school. School can be stressful for teens because a lot is on the line. So it can be stressful for us."
Erica
"I think that when someone looks into the mind of a teen they will see that right now in this lifetime most teens care about how they look and what other people think about them, that is why social media is a big factor in most teens lives because they let other people see what happens in their everyday life. They need others to approve their life."
Joel
"When I think about someone looking into the mind of a teen the first thing that comes to mind is social media. We are born in the generation where technology is everything. Social Media plays a big role in a teen's mind today. Everyone is so focused on what's going on with this celebrity or more specifically things that do not matter. I think social media changed the way people look at themselves. It also changed the way we once communicated with one another. It's all about texting instead of sitting down and showing love to one another. Phones are a distraction."
Kitana
"When I think of "looking into the mind of a teen" school is the first thing that pops into my head. I think of everyday life and the things that go on in school. The day of a teen is mostly revolving around school. Many things happen in school, from social media, makeup/appearance, friends, cell phones, etc. The school is where you meet up with your friends and get to talk about all everyday things, it's like the "meet up" or "hang out" spot. Also, school teaches you how to deal with all of the above topics. In my school, we interact with social media, talk about makeup/ appearance, talk to our friends, and use our cell phones."
Jessica
"When I think about someone "looking into the mind of a teen," I think the first thing they might see is the impact social media has on that teen's mind. Social media is a big part of the world we live in today and in many ways has grabbed hold of the minds of the youth and controls their thinking. Social media in a way has shaped teens to think they must look a certain way, act a certain way, and even think like the people they see on social networks.If you were to look into the mind of a teen you would see social brain damage caused by the virus called social media."
Anthony