Dealing With Social Media Remorse - A New Syndrome For Our Era

I think every single one of us has, at one time or another, said something that we regretted. Maybe we said it to a friend of a friend of the person we were mad at, and it got back to them. Or maybe, it was that time you were angry and said some things in the heat of it that you wish you could take back. It can make you feel awful, and unfortunately, there are people who have this happen to them all of the time. Perhaps they have problems filtering what they are feeling before it comes out of their mouths. But, at the worst, only a few other people would be within earshot when they said it. But now, thanks to social networking sites and micro-blogging platforms like Facebook and Twitter, a lapse in judgment can quickly reach many, many people.

New technology is great, but it has its draw-backs. It is easier than ever to share information and stay connected with the people they care about. But, on the other side, it makes it easy to embarrass yourself on a very large scale.

TechRepublic recently reported on this new “Social Media Remorse” issue. Here are a few of the things they found out:

• 32% of people surveyed say they’ve posted something online they regretted.
• Of that 32%: 3% say it ruined their marriage or relationship with someone. 6% of them said it caused problems at work or home.
• Of that 32%: 13% were able to remove the offending post.
• 59% of iPhone users have posted something online they regretted.
• 54% of people under 25 years old have posted something online they regretted.
• Only 27% of people over age 25 have posted something online they regretted.

It doesn't surprise me in the least that so many people under 25 have reported having posted something online that they regret. When I was in my teens and early twenties, I can think of many times I lost my temper or just wasn't mature enough to keep my mouth shut. But luckily, it wasn't as easy for everyone else to find out. Even when I did have access to the internet, anything I was likely to write wouldn't be nearly as easily accessible as it is now, when status updates and Twitter feeds can be delivered straight to people's mobile phones.

Perhaps their needs to be a device on smartphones that checks a users sobriety level or heart rate and won't allow them to post until they are sober and calm. But, until that happens, it is still a good idea to invest in an actual paper journal, and write down all the questionable tweets and updates you want to post and give them a few hours before you actually post them online. Leaving yourself with a buffer can keep you from suffering the ill effects of “social media remorse”.

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By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer, along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.

Is online education the way to go?

So you are thinking about going back to school so that you can advance in your job but your schedule is jam packed. What do you do? Do you just put off going to school until you have more time? What about your career? Do you put it on hold until you have more time, too?

The answer to both, in my opinion, is NO. If advancing your career is based upon increasing your education and knowledge, it would be best to find time in your schedule to do it. Maybe you will have to give up one or two things but you can always pick them back up after you complete school.

Okay, so now you have decided to open up your schedule so that you can go to school. What is next? Most colleges offer both traditional and online classes. Some schools allow you to complete courses on your own schedule as long as they are completed within a certain timeframe. Others require you to stick to a schedule whether in a traditional setting or online. This sounds really good, doesn’t it? You could take courses online and never have to step into a classroom! However, as great as this might sound, it is not for everyone.

I earned my Master’s Degree through distance education (basically online). I completed one course every eight weeks while working and traveling. Typically, in a master’s program, the college assigns you to a “work group” – a peer group if you will and these are the people you spend the next 18 months to 2 years with. However, if you choose an online option, you have to do all of the work on your own. In my case, this included having to write a minimum of one report every week plus reading and exam preparations. I had to create my own fictitious company including creating a product. Then I had to design my five year business plan and find a way to fund my company. Even though the company was fictitious, it was not easy to do this on my own. There was no one there to prod me along; no one to come to my aid when I had to brainstorm for ideas. Yes I was able to complete my education without stepping into a classroom but it was a very lonely and tough road.

Online education truly is not for everyone. If you need the socialization or camaraderie of others to stimulate your learning experience, then I would suggest that you stick to traditional education. If you do choose online education just remember that you will have to motivate yourself to get the work done. No one is going to be standing over your shoulder to see that you do it.

If you are not sure what type of education is right for you, try both traditional and online. Take one course in each and see which one you like better. Either way, if you need to increase your education for your position, don’t put it off. Get started today!

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By: Nancy Anderson, Staff Writer