Feb. 5 celebrates school counselors for the important role they play in the lives and wellbeing of children during their school years. School counselors can be found in every school in Philadelphia. But some people don’t understand the important work they do and the role they play in the lives of students. We’ve answered some common questions about school counselors below. What do school counselors do? School counselors provide guidance and counseling to help students navigate personal challenges, academic difficulties, and career planning. They help reduce bullying in schools, help [...]

How Social Media Trends Can Lead to Self-Criticism  Social media has made connection easier. However, it also has had negative impacts on users’ mental and physical health.  I was a teenager when Facebook came out. I saw the beginning of overconnectivity. In middle school, my friends and I made accounts. We only posted our best pictures. We wrote our diary-like statuses. We gave our opinions. The likes we got were validating, innocently. As I got older, Instagram was the new thing. Users scrolled pictures endlessly. Likes felt even more important [...]

How I Survived Social Media   My experience with social media started at age 10 with the app Musically. I danced every day, and I dreamed of being a dancer. When I heard about the app Musical.ly, I immediately downloaded it. Musical.ly helped shape my identity! Dance was a goal I wanted to achieve. It boosted my confidence and gave me pride. It also helped me cope with anxiety. After a couple of years went by, I was in middle school at the time and was bullied for my weight. I [...]