Spring Break, traditionally, is a glorious time for a young person to put down the books and head off to some balmy location for a few days of fun. By fun, of course, I am talking about binge drinking, recreational drug use and excessive partying. Every year, college students from around the country get together to celebrate a week off from all of the responsibilities they face at home and at school. In the past, young people may have been much more apt to go crazy for the cameras wielded by party goers and voyeurs. However, with social media dominating the cultural landscape, young people may start to exhibit more discern when in front of a stranger’s lens.
Social Media’s Impact
Thankfully, young people are starting to realize more and more that actions have consequences. In today’s society, a consequence could be an embarrassing photo or video that ends up on facebook or twitter. One bad decision could make you famous, and not in a good way. Quickly, people are starting to figure this out. Normally, Spring Break would be a hot bed for flashers and crazy antics. However, that slowly may be changing. No one wants to see themselves online, sloppy drunk, as the butt of a joke.
Possible Consequences
Perhaps this is one of the unintended problems, or depending on who you ask, benefits, of social media encompassing all areas of our daily lives. Never before in the history of humanity has people’s personal lives and intimate moments been so readily available for the public to see. Students today are just one unfortunate lack in judgment away from being labeled something terrible online. In fact, many companies now check their employee’s social media pages to see how they behave while not at work. Some people see this as a ridiculous invasion of privacy, however, as the old saying goes, if you don’t want to be caught doing something, don’t do it.
Being Responsible
Everyone is responsible for the things they put on their social media pages. You must assume that all the content you upload, or that someone else uploads of you, is going to be seen by everyone close to you. There is no escaping it. Once something goes viral it can be seen by literally millions of people overnight. This is one of the main reasons we are seeing a decrease in the amount of debauchery taking place at prominent Spring Break destinations. Obviously, we are not talking about a complete reformation of Spring Breakers. These kids are always going to get down and party during breaks. However, there is a definite increase in the awareness of the fact that one misstep could prove disastrous if caught on camera.
It is important for young people to realize that just because they are on Spring Break, their bodies do not become better equipped to intake large quantities of drugs and alcohol. In fact, with the heat and pressure to have a great time, they might be in a much more precarious position to get into trouble. Spring Break can be a treacherous time for an addict. This is why it is so vital to realize that you are going to be held accountable for your actions during Spring Break. In fact, if you get caught on tape engaging in a momentary lapse of good taste, you could pay for it for some time to come. In the end, no one wants to end up the next viral video played on Comedy Central.