The New Normal

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2022

At the beginning of Covid, I thought “At the beginning of Covid, I thought “At the beginning of Covid, I thought that it would last and that we’d be that it would last and that we’d be that it would last and that we’d be quarantining for at least four years, quarantining for at least four years, and quarantining for at least four years, and and now with everything going on, I now with everything going on, I do not now with everything going on, I do not do not know if it will go away, know if it will go away,” know if it will go away,” junior Keira Green said. junior Keira Green said. junior Keira Green said.

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graphics by: Madelyn Hartman Normal’ ‘NewTHE

Compared to the last decade, people living in society today have started to face a ‘new normal’, with a heavier influence of social media, the presence of COVID-19, and the different impacts those things have on teenagers’ mental health.

written by: Makena Dickens

Plugged In

The influence and popularity of social media has varied over the years, causing many to feel its effects.

Since its start in 2005 with the introduction of Youtube, social media has been an integral part of young people’s lives. Recently, social media use has escalated with 90% of people saying that social media use has been essential in the last year, according to Pew Research. With the increase of usage, the effects of social media on teenagers are more prominent. “There has been more awareness on issues like what is happening in society now. On top of that there are also negative effects, like unrealistic standards set for teenagers, and just lowered self-esteem,” sophomore Delaney Schoo said. Social media is part of our ‘new normal’ because of how much people use the different platforms, and how much people are impacted by their use of it. Because of social media being an innate part of people’s lives, more companies are seeking to use influencers to promote their businesses, and many platforms have started giving creators profit for their content, causing some to raise speculations over the content that will be produced. “I feel like all the way across the board with everything with with people making a profit off of what they are putting out there,

photo by: Brieanna Green

Social media’s impact did not used to be as prominent as it is today. “We have incorporated the use of it into our daily lives,” sophomore Delaney Schoo said.

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it loses its meaning because people start to make things for the money, and not just for their audience,” junior Camille Parker said. With the emergence of ‘influencers’, people are beginning to be more heavily affected by the content that is put out there. According to medium.com, the term “influencer marketing” has increased by 325% in Google searches. “I feel like most people take the critiques of people online more into consideration than their own ideas. On top of that, if profit is dependent on the audience’s engagement with the content, then that will influence the creator’s future decisions,” Schoo said. The dynamic between social media creators and social media users is one of the many facets of people’s dependency on the internet. Creators depend on users for views, likes, and engagement while users depend on creators for entertainment, advice, and an overall sense of belonging. “Since our generation has grown up with social media unlike the other generations, we have incorporated the use of it into our daily lives, and since we are so used to it, we are more impacted by the influence of it,” Schoo said.

It Keeps Going

COVID-19’s ‘never ending’ cycle has led to a state of constant change which has affected students.

photo by: Brieanna Green

COVID-19 changed the course of many people’s lives. It continues to affect the mental health of students. “There are a lot of people losing hope on their favorite activities,” senior Blue Robinson said. he two-year anniversary of COVID19’s presence in the US is coming up, T and with the ever-changing mandates concerning masks and vaccination status, students have had to adjust to the constant state of change. “It is like we are all constantly adapting to it, so any new things that have been thrown our way, I feel like we can manage it. I would like some form of consistency, but I try to stay consistent with wearing masks, getting vaccinated, just staying safe,” junior Aubrey Prindle said. Currently, at Liberty Public Schools, masks are required for all students and staff. Some students original thoughts on the length of the pandemic were extremely underestimated, while others think that COVID-19 will be around for quite a while, “At the beginning of COVID-19, I thought that it would last and that we’d be quarantining, for at least four years and now with everything going on, I do not know if it will go away. The mandates are very stressful as I believe ourlawmakers have no intention of keeping their citizens safe.

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Even recently they were going to drop the mask mandate in schools even though the Omicron variant was ravaging our nation,” junior Keira Green said. Due to the circumstances brought about by COVID-19, some students are feeling lost, hopeless, and overall losing their sense of control. With increasing levels of social anxiety, apathy, and hopelessness, many teens are feeling effects on their mental health. “There are a lot of dark spots, people losing hope on things like their favorite activities like social gatherings. I think though, we have started to lean on each other and accept help from other people,” senior Blue Robinson said. Some students have struggled with the many transitions of switching from being in-person, to having school completely online, to then going back in-person. The aspect of mental health has

been affected in some people, causing an overall sense of ‘losing control’. “I feel like it is complicated, but COVID has made me feel like I have less control in the end because the pandemic forced me to mature quicker. I have to prioritize what to do to stay successful without the help of everyone. It also had a huge toll on my mental health so I am still learning to cope with that on top of all of the other responsibilities I have,” sophomore Delaney Schoo said. All across the board, there has been an increase in mental health conditions. According to Banyan Mental Health, suicidal thoughts and outcomes have increased 47% and the rate of depression has increased 52% since 2008. “Personally, I think that mental health issues have increased a lot in the last two years, and I definitely see it a lot in teens because our world is not normal. It is not how our older friends had it, it is not how our parents had it. It is a lot of change. I feel like the mental health issues are just increasing because of COVID,” senior Lila Brandeberry said.

“It kind of feels like it is the new normal. It is like we are all constantly adapting to it, so any new things that have been thrown our way, we can manage it,” junior Aubrey Prindle said.

photo by: Brieanna Green

With an increase of mental health issues compared to the past, there is more awareness of it. “I think mental health issues have increased a lot in the last two years” senior Lila Brandeberry said.

HOW DO YOU THINK WE WILL BE remembered?

freshman

“I feel like COVID-wise it will be something that will be taught in schools. That is cool because when I am 85 or something, I can be like ‘hey kids, I was around when that was happening’. It will be something that will be timeless, it will be in history forever.”

“I feel like us being in quarantine and having to go through the pandemic will be remembered, also us speaking out for things like BLM and politics. I also think the music during this time Caden Barner will be remembered for a long time.”