While cell phones are known to make things simpler, they may also make things much harder in the future. Gradually, more and more parents are giving their children access to the internet as early as the age of 8, if not younger. Giving children of a younger age access to the internet opens up a whole new world to making embarrassing mistakes earlier on in life. For example, let’s take a trip down memory lane. It’s 7th grade, you’re with your BFF and their dad just got a new iPad. This is your first introduction to Photobooth. The both of you take tons of pictures, some cute and some not so cute. Nevertheless, they all end up on Facebook. And easily enough, you forget about them until freshman year. Many of you deleted your Facebook account and created another, while others just deleted the pictures. Even though the pictures were deleted, they can still be accessible.

If you’ve ever searched for yourself on Google, you’ve probably found that you can find pictures of yourself that were posted on Facebook, even the ones that were deleted. This is because of a privacy setting that is automatically turned on when you set up the account that allows search engines to use and link your account to searches.

With this being said, a potential college or employer can find all the information they need to make their decision on accepting you, with a quick search on google. One small mistake could cost you a job or college acceptance.

What happens in high school definitely doesn’t always stay in high school. One example I could use is Brett Kavanaugh. While this is a very extreme example, it is also a very valid example as well. It’s nearly impossible to live in the United States and have not heard of the rape and sexual assault accusations against Brett Kavanaugh, all of which happened during his high school years. Whether or not these accusations are true, this is just a prime example of what you do in high school stays with you for the rest of your life.

With Halloween just around the corner, I encourage you all to make wise decisions while you’re out having a good time. Parties are inevitable, and what goes on during them can’t be avoided. If you happen to drink any alcohol or indulge in any other substance, please remember to be safe and stay aware of your surroundings.