On Monday, October 3, students took time from their classes to attend a convocation featuring Bolles legal counsel Suzanne Bogden. The extended day included small group discussions, facilitated by faculty, about handling the risks of social media for high schoolers. The convocation gave students valuable information on dealing with underage drinking, cyberbullying, hazing, and other issues teens face today.

The statistics on sexual harassment surprised Sophomore Davey Crouch. “I didn’t realize so many people were victims of sexual harassment,” said Crouch. He didn’t realize how much inappropriate content is present on the Internet. “It just shows how corrupt our world is nowadays”. Crouch also mentioned that the convocation helped him to realize that high school is the “real deal”; he plans to think carefully about his decisions and actions in the future.

“There are a lot of things you can get in trouble for, so you just have to be the best person that you can be,” said Junior Frank Collier. Collier said that he plans to be mindful about what he posts on Instagram and other social media. “Now that I know it represents me to people who don’t know who I am, I want to make a good first impression.” With more colleges and employers looking at the social media accounts of their applicants, what we post online will affect many aspects of our lives.

Growing up in the technological age, many students may not realize the permanence of what they post online, and how it can affect their school, future career, and even personal relationships. This convocation did a great job of raising awareness of the dangers of using social media improperly.