Is Social GivingMediaYou Pressure

Girl! Are you feeling the pressure from social media? It's like everyone’s trying to show off how woke or real they are, especially us Gen Z kids. We’re always on our phones and it’s causing anxiety to spread like crazy. Anxiety is the feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease about something with an uncertain outcome. Everyone feels anxiety and we already have enough to deal with, like puberty and peer pressure, but now we have to worry about what’s hot and what’s not on our feeds.

It’s messed up because we're supposed to be socializing with our friends, but we're doing it through apps like WhatsApp, TikTok, IG & Snapchat. Studies show that this kind of socialization can make us feel lonely and depressed. And we’re measuring our worth based on how many likes, shares, and follows we get. It’s crazy to think that some girls are even being pressured to send nude photos to older guys they think they trust.Instead, the guys end up sharing the pics with others, and the girls end up trending for the wrong reasons or can even get in trouble with the law.

These are extreme cases, but they do happen. Other pressures brought on by social media include:

FOMO (fear of missing out) – not invited to parties, movie chills, etc, that others are posting about.

Pressure to post attractive and appealing & revealing images.

Pressure to get comments and likes on postings. Abusive comments that they have no control over.

Pressure to reply quickly to posts or risk rejection from ‘cool friends’.

You may not even know you’re under pressure, but if you find yourself feeling the pressure, you’re not alone. Sometimes we don’t even realize how much it’s affecting us, like when we’re stressing about not getting a break.

Here are some tips to help you unplug:

Manage screen time – most smartphones have apps to help you manage your time on social media. Give yourself a daily, weekly & monthly target for the amount of time you spend on your socials.

Make sure your targets are realistic - if you spend 3 hours on your socials every day and set a target of 30 minutes a day, you're not likely to achieve it. Make the reduction in screen time gradual but consistent.

Suggest more in-person hangouts with your friends. When you're hanging out, you can keep your phones in a bag on a table away from you or in another room while you chill together.

Contact details: Bwalya Penza info@innersafariquest.com www.innersafariquest.com

Instagram: innersafariquest_ISQ

FaceBook: InnnerSafriQuestISQ

Twitter: @innersafari_ISQ

By Chileshe Mfula

Hey there SKY girls is there something you are so passionate about, and care about when you look around your community? Something you would want everyone to acknowledge and celebrate? Well that’s kind of what International days are all about. International days are important days that raise awareness and promote action on various issues such as human rights, peace, health, education, and the environment. By commemorating these days, we can come together as a global community to share knowledge and promote positive change. In this issue of SKY we’re highlighting a few days you might not know about, and how you can commemorate or celebrate them.

World Health Day th April

World Health day was founded to commemorate the anniversary of the World Health Organisation (WHO). WHO is an international organisation that works worldwide to promote health and ensure all people have access to healthcare and people are protected from health emergencies (like COVID-19), and generally to promote better health and well being. Each year a theme is chosen to highlight a priority concern for WHO. The theme this year is ‘Health for All’ . Fun fact: the first World Health Day was in 1948!

Ways To Celebrate This Day

Eat healthy and stay hydrated! This one's obvious. You need energy and to eat the right foods to stay healthy.

Talk to someone. Mentally, everything can be draining at times. So whether you need to talk to someone or offer an ear to a friend or someone who just needs it, it's a great way to show you care about your and others' mental health.

Exercise! Alone or with friends, it's up to you. It’s great for your overall wellbeing, taking care of both your mind and your body. You can do something as simple as walking.

Earth Day nd April

Earth Day is celebrated on 22nd April and reminds us that we all have a job to do in looking after our planet and making sure we can keep living here for a long time. It’s important that we work together to create a future by using resources wisely and not damaging the environment.

Ways To Celebrate This Day

Plant Trees! Where does oxygen come from? Trees! So get up and plant a tree at school or home. Feel free to name it after yourself or a loved one.

Start an upcycling club at school. Unleash your creativity and transform your unwanted items into something new and exciting! Revamp your old curtains by transforming them into cushion covers, breathe new life into an old pair of jeans by fashioning them into a trendy denim tote bag. The possibilities are endless - let your imagination run wild.

Help Clean up Trash. Consider organizing a class trip with your friends or classmates and pick up any litter you find. Let's work together to keep our environment clean and beautiful!

Africa Day th May

Africa Day is a time to recognize our beautiful continent's diverse cultures and rich history.

Africa Day celebrates the anniversary of the Organization of African Unity (1963). Don't know how to celebrate it? Don't worry; we got you.

Ways To Celebrate This Day

Visit the Lusaka Museum or Go Virtual with the Women’s History Museum. Before you start to yawn, museums can be really fun; you get the chance to learn about the history of your own and other countries' heritage and backgrounds. That's pretty cool.

Design/Wear a traditional outfit. Dressing up is always fun; take things to another level by using your favorite chitenge to make a cool dress, jumpsuit, shirt, etc.

Explore food from around the continent! What's a celebration without something yummy to eat? If you don't know how to make any, it'll be a great opportunity to learn from a relative or go online and google dishes from your fave African destinations.

World Menstrual Day th May

World Menstrual Day raises awareness about, and breaks the stigma of menstruation. Honestly there are billions of us who have our periods, why is it still so misunderstood? But it is, it also highlights the impact of period poverty - not having access to safe and hygienic period products.

If you don’t know how to celebrate this day, that’s alright.

Here are ways to celebrate this day

Have a Period Party. This will be so fun for you and your friends to do on this day in hopes of breaking taboos and other negative energy toward menstruation. You can do this by sharing experiences, exchanging tips and advice, and having open and honest conversations about menstruation. In addition, period parties can be a fun way to express creativity, with decorations, themed snacks, and games centered on menstruation.

Donate! Whether money, underwear, or menstrual products, donating to the less fortunate is a good way to observe this day. Educate. You can share your experiences with other girls who may not know what's happening to them as it might be their first time having a period. If you see someone struggling with using a pad and you know how to use it, help them. You'd definitely want someone to help you in that situation.

Download the Oky App! Oky provides useful tips on how you can manage your periods. You can download the app from the Google Play store or Apple App Store. You can also download it by visiting www.okyapp.info. And you can also visit the SKY Hub for help downloading the app!

By Nicola Tembo