Researchers explain the importance of self-expression and connection among young adults
Individuality and self-expression are core values of society that should be upheld and afforded to all people. The harsh reality is that there are several groups who have these tokens restricted from them in their very formative years. A 2015 study conducted by Karmele Mendoza Pérez and Marta Morgade Salagado examines the outlets that mobile media provides to young migrants as they grow up in new, and scary areas.
Can you recall a time in which you experienced life in a vastly new area? How did you feel when you arrived there? Did you feel it was best to find a new way to express yourself, did you continue to keep up with family and friends? These are all aspects of life that many young migrants don’t get to consider because they are moved into juvenile centers, roomed with multiple other people and are stripped of their ability to access creativity via room decor or furniture.
In addition to this, migrants are living in vastly different places away from their families, and possibly best friends or romantic partners in a brand new place with no other connections. This is how mobile media comes into play. Through social apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook and Twitter these young individuals have a way to express themselves and create identities that they feel can appeal to the communities around them.
I for one, can attest to the fact that in addition to providing us with self-expression, social media allows us to connect with the vast world around us. Throughout my early years of high school I began a Twitter account and the friends I have met along the way are still people I hold dear in my heart. From allowing me a place to express my sexuality, and finding support in the LGBT+ community to connecting me with those who have similar music interests, I have greatly expanded my network.
The study makes a strong point to emphasize the fact that mobile media provides all users with an interconnectedness that wasn’t previously attainable. This global community helps individuals to feel closer to not only those far away, but their peers in their new home. Young people often use photos of themselves or their interests to express who they are to the world at large. Social media then provides the young migrants a platform to better connect with those their age and with that, become better acquainted with the local community.
Pérez and Salgado note in the study that some participants had their mobile devices stolen or lost so they couldn’t look back fondly on memories with their family. Lack of a mobile device also made it difficult for these individuals to communicate with those far away.
It is through these stories that the researchers discuss how mobile media is not only used for hedonistic and personal gain but that it is critical to helping us access precious memories and comfort whether it be through phone calls, photos or even music.
Pérez and Salgado conclude that mobile media is an important outlet for young migrants struggling to find a sense of self and a place where they can find comfort when adjusting to life in a new area and challenge institutions to better equip these individuals with better resources.
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