for this first chat, i sat down myself and took some time to answer the questions i sent out to everyone else, forcing myself to confront my feelings (positive and negative) about social media.
tell me a little bit about yourself (where you’re from, age, etc).
my name is jessie, but you’re welcome to call me jess. i’m 20 years old, and studying literature, digital humanities, and writing in college as a third year undergraduate student. i’ve been running @thishappypage for about 6 years, while pursuing a career in digital media and being a part time student.
what does social media mean to you?
social media is community. it’s where i go when i need to express myself, or share something that’s happening in my life. it’s different depending on which account i go to, @thishappypage is for empowerment while my personal account is for storytelling. overall, my social media platforms are a means of connection and communal empowerment.
do you see social media as more positive or negative?
if i had to pick one, i’d say positive. my page actively tries to spread positivity, fighting the negative stigmas associated with social media such as bullying. social media is a tool, and it’s really up to the users to use it as they will. i’d argue that it’s not the platform itself that’s positive or negative, as it’s just a tool that can be enabled to create good or cause harm based on the user’s intentions. in the end, we’re all hiding behind our screens, but it’s just a question of what we’re doing with our power as creators and consumers of digital content, and how our online actions influence others.
why do you think this is?
i prefer to see social media as positive because that’s what i hope it can become, for better or for worse. everything i do using my platforms (and aspire to do in later careers) focuses on communal empowerment- connecting creators with their audiences in a meaningful way. there’s a lot of intention behind it, because social media magnifies the power of our words and their ability to hurt others, which is why people may view it as negative. it’s definitely impacted the way we live our lives, but it’s not negative until you decide it is. if you’re using your platforms to bully others and spread words of hate, you are the negative force informing your social media. you’d find a platform to share your negativity regardless, and it’s not the fault of social media that you’re using that particular platform. if people want to be heard, they make sure they’re heard, regardless of what tools they use to amplify their voices.
tell me about your happiness journey.
it started in middle school, when i was struggling with feeling unhappy for what felt like the first time in my life. school was hard (especially math), friends were difficult to make and keep, and i had yet to develop an identity that i felt comfortable with. it was all a lot for me to handle, and my mental health took the brunt of the fall. i remember sitting in my hallway after a bit of crying, summoning my courage and trying to think of something that i could do to channel everything i was feeling into a productive venue. that’s when @thishappypage was born, an account that i used to share all of the quotes that i wanted to read, but couldn’t find anywhere else. it’s completely blown up and far surpassed any expectation i had for it, and i’m honored to still be running it. part of me never thought i’d actually make it to college, to the point where my page would actually be helping people other than myself. funny how that worked out!
how has your career impacted your mental state?
i work in social and digital media, so i’m always staring at a screen. it’s hard to maintain a balance, because i know i’m not as healthy or happy as i could be because all i do is stare at screens- for class and for work. don’t get me wrong, i love interacting with different demographics and creating content for them, but it can be draining and hard to prioritize my mental health. i’m honestly still working on finding a balance between “me time” and working, but it’s a journey i’m happy to be on.