My Love-Hate Relationship With Media

My relationship with media of all sorts is quite complicated, like most human relationships. Sometimes social media and media as a whole can be very helpful and dependable. For example, if I want to find out the latest news from CNN or Daily News, I can access this either from snapchat via the live discovery stories on snapchat or "News" app by just one click of a button. Or if I watching videos on Youtube and it just so happens that there is an add about a sale going on at my favorite department store, media and advertising come in handy. However, like some boyfriends/girlfriends, media can be very clingy, in a way. Wherever you go, media will follow. It will update or change itself based on your standards and/or likes and dislikes. Media will always find ways to be with you, appeal to you, and mooch money off of you. Within my complex relationship, I try to avoid advertising alone as much as I can, if even possible. Like when I'm watching TV, listening to the radio, watching videos, and so, I try to change channels or find ways to avoid ads and commercials. Then, there's those channels or commercials that publicize, sponsor, or display one product 24/7. You know those commercials for the Nutri Ninja Blender or other useless, overpriced products for the little things that can be done with what you already have. These are the ones I stray away from the most. Some families were raised in homes where they would see these commercials, call the number on the screen, and order the product for "3 easy payments of $19.99." I, thankfully, was not raised that way. However, having said all of this, I do enjoy social media. It can be a stress-reliever, a distraction, publicity, or entertainment, depending on the situation. For example, every day when I walk to school and walk home, I check Snapchat, for stories and my "streaks," and Instagram, the two apps I use most frequently. Then, when I'm finished, I continue and finish my walk off listening to Spotify. In the scenario, social media is both a unsafe, unhealthy distraction and a stress-reliever. But that's not where it ends. When I get home, in between homework assignments, and after I finish my homework, I watch either Youtube or Netflix to end my night. From my perspective, this a nice way to just not think and get away from school and life for a bit. I know this is all really complicated. But I think I know when I can relax and when media is too much. I'm just doing what I want with what I'm given.