Not long ago, a student shared feeling glum and left out because her friends were laughing about a meme circulating on their group chat. “I know it is silly,” she said, “but I feel so left out… the jokes keep coming and I’m clueless about the context!”. Her words capture a familiar reality for current times: in a world where friendships and conversations increasingly unfold on screens, being away -- even briefly-- can sometimes feel like missing out on an entire slice of life! The appeal of social media is undeniable. Its pull is real for both adults and adolescents. However, for young people, in their formative years, the stakes are significantly higher. As neural pathways are being rapidly refined and strengthened, one can understand how habits formed during the adolescent years can c

See Full Page