Most of us are familiar with the idea of branding, but have you ever considered yourself as a brand? It might surprise you to know that you are not just a person: you are a brand.

Yes, you heard that right, much like your favourite sneakers or smartphone, people can also brand themselves specifically to position themselves personally, academically, and professionally in a specific light. In the same way that your favourite products position themselves as the solution to specific needs or problems, the way you ‘brand’ yourself can help you build relationships and open up a world of opportunities in your life.

I’ll admit, it is a different way of thinking about yourself and your actions but if you are following any influencers on social media, this is not a new or unfamiliar concept in today’s culture. It is crucial to understand and adapt branding so you can become more intentional and guided when making your way on your journey.

Let’s uncover some strategies to help you stand out in the crowded rooms of college admissions and networking sessions.

What is personal branding for individuals?

Imagine personal branding as your own private and exclusive label. It is what people think of when they hear your name, see your posts on social media, read your application essays, or interact with you. It’s about showcasing your unique mix of skills, passions, and experiences that make you who you are! But it’s more than just a cool logo or a catchy tagline; it’s about consistently presenting the best version of yourself to the people that you interact with. So, whoever is viewing your social media profile or interactions online, will know what you are all about and what to expect when they interact with you.

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The book is an honest and real take on the journey of one of India’s top influencer-creators navigating the world of fashion blogging and entrepreneurship.

This is the story of how Masoom Minawala, despite multiple setbacks and failures, scaled to the top — and how you can too. Brutally honest, the book is packed with Masoom’s secrets on how to build a new age business and survive in the dynamic world. The book offers valuable insights into the world of social media influencing and the effort required to succeed in a competitive industry. What sets this book apart is its relatability; many readers will find themselves identifying with Masoom’s aspirations and dilemmas.

She’ll Never Make It is a compelling read that inspires readers to pursue their passions with determination and resilience.

Available at Title Waves, Mumbai.

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Social media is an amazing platform for you to share your most memorable moments and biggest successes with your friends, family and the world. But have you ever stumbled upon a post or story online that made you feel a certain kind of way? A pang of jealousy, perhaps?

Maybe it was a friend sharing a major accomplishment, and while part of you was happy for them, another part felt a pang of envy that you haven’t had the same success or maybe it made you question yourself and feel inadequate? This mix of feelings is more common than you might think, and it’s a scenario that many teens, like Aarav, experience in the digital age.

In one such instance, Aarav found himself wrestling with unexpected envy when he saw a post from a classmate who had won a prestigious environmental science competition. Despite being an advocate for environmental activism himself, Aarav felt overshadowed by his classmate’s achievement. This complex cocktail of admiration and jealousy took Aarav by surprise, prompting him to reflect on his own values and how he chooses to interact online.

Initially tempted to leave a snide comment or make a passive-aggressive post, Aarav was able to realize that these impulses stemmed from his envy rather than the supportive spirit he aspired to embody. This moment of self-awareness was crucial; it led him to genuinely congratulate his classmate, thereby transforming a moment of personal turmoil into one of collective celebration for their shared cause.

Tips for managing envy and for being supportive of your peers online

1. Always Acknowledge Your Feelings: It’s perfectly natural to feel envious at times. By recognizing and understanding these emotions, you have taken the first step towards managing them. Sometimes just simply acknowledging them helps makes it feel less overwhelming.

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I understand that you feel you have betrayed your mother, and that bothers you immensely. Most parents set rules and boundaries for their children. These include things that they feel are acceptable and those that aren’t. Since you have done something that you were restricted from doing, I understand that your mother must be immensely upset with you as it would be difficult for her to understand that it was the first time that you did this. Keeping all the above in mind, I suggest that you profusely apologise to her about your mistake and explain to her about your entire situation. I also feel that in case it was urgent for you to contact your friend, had you informed your parents prior to logging into Instagram, maybe they would have trusted you more. This is something I want you to remember for life — keep things simple, transparent and be honest.

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Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO)

The Fear of Missing Out or FOMO refers to the feeling or perception that others are having more fun, living better lives or experiencing better things than you are. It involves a deep sense of envy and affects self-esteem. It’s not just the sense that there might be better things that you could be doing at this moment, but it is the feeling that you are missing out on something fundamentally important that others are experiencing right now. It is becoming increasingly common, in part thanks to social media, and can cause significant stress in your life. It can affect just about anyone, but some people are at greater risk of FOMO.

Social media creates a platform for bragging; it is where things, events, and even happiness itself seem to be in competition at times. People are comparing their best, picture-perfect experiences, which may lead you to wonder what you are lacking.

These are a few terms related to FOMO:
FOBO (Fear Of Better Options): This refers to the fear that you are missing out on potentially better alternatives.
MOMO (Mystery Of Missing Out): This refers to the fear that you are missing out but not having any clue about what you’re missing out on.
ROMO (Reality Of Missing Out): This refers to knowing that you aren’t missing out on anything.
FOJI (Fear Of Joining In): The fear of sharing things on social media but not garnering any response.

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Social media platforms are like an open stage that exposes the personal lives of people while simultaneously hiding parts of it. Everything is packed into the glossy pack of publicity with the intention of gaining self-attention from the world around. Social media has influenced and impacted our lives immensely beyond our imagination. From the growth of business to making new connections to gaining information, social media has stormed right into our homes and personal spaces.

During the pandemic and thereafter, social media has played an increasingly bigger role in the lives of people, especially the young, from their relationships to their careers to spending their free time on various social media platforms.

In India alone, the use of social media has grown by leaps and bounds over the past few years, with a greater number of users logging on every day to share their experiences and thoughts with the world, to build their personal brands, and to learn about others through content sharing. Indians, on an average, spend about 2.36 hours on social media daily. The World Wide Web (www) is one of the wonders of the modern world.

The month of February is considered by many as the month of love and friendship as Valentine’s Day is celebrated on the 14th. Social media platforms will be abuzz with a plethora of messages, photos and videos being shared across world. However, before you decide to share these, ask yourself these questions: Is it going to help people positively? Will it build healthy relationships? Is the information or story true? When you scroll through people’s social media accounts, ask yourself: What am I looking for? Will it benefit me in any way? Is it worth spending my precious time on it? These questions will help you think and make the right decision.

Many users, in their curiosity, have become victims of the dangers that lurk in this virtual world. We are blest with the ability to decide and choose what we want, with or without the help of social media. Even though social media poses many challenges, we can use them as stepping stones to enhance our lives and make them better, not worse.

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It’s true that social media is influencing the lives of everyone, predominantly teenagers. To make them a part of family gatherings, we can plan a family night with snacks and fun. Make sure that everyone switches off all their electronic devices. Teens do better when their families eat concurrently at least five times a week. Execute that! The most uncomplicated way is to go for a walk or a drive together.
Amrita Khaira (13)
St Joseph’s Convent School, Jalandhar, Punjab

We live in the social media era. When it’s missing, we feel awful. Every person’s living style has been altered due to social media, which has also made commodities more accessible. Concerning the negative effects that social media is having on human existence, I am a little concerned. We no longer have close ties to our family and other loved ones. How can we handle it? First and foremost, all parents and educators must teach their kids and pupils how to use social media as a tool to showcase their own skills and talents. Social media is being used by many people, especially the young, for their personal enjoyment. Spending more time with children can help parents understand them better and guide them in the proper direction. These trivial deeds can help them to re-create the bond with the families and near and dear ones rather than with social media.
Little Merinth Aamose A. (20)
St Xavier’s College, Thiruvananthapuram

There is definitely no doubt in saying that social media is destroying our culture. Not just our culture but it is also killing our society too. Women, young and old, have changed their way of dressing; there are hardly any family gatherings now. People who don’t like these social trends are often called old-fashioned, but this is a truth that the youth should accept now that social media is working like a weapon to destroy our culture. We should stop this social trend today itself by not using those apps that are unnecessary for us.
Bhavya Narayan
St Joseph’s Convent High School, Jethuli, Patna

We are most of the time on social media which separates us from our family and friends. Individual culture practising has also weakened the love between each other. We should respect everyone’s social and cultural beliefs. All should reduce the usage of social media and interact with everyone. We have to sit with our family and participate in all family gatherings.
Ariba Fatma
St Joseph’s Convent High School, Jethuli, Patna

As a teenager, I would like to visit historic museums and cultural sites to restore our cultures and traditional practices. We should read spiritual books or study literature and poems on culture of the place. More importantly we should publicly speak on the importance of preserving our culture. It is a necessity to preserve our cultural heritage to maintain our identity as a nation.
Tejal Verma (15)
Notre Dame School, New Delhi

In my opinion, to restore this social trend one can go for a family gathering once, so that he or she could realize that there are many benefits. Family gatherings help one in strengthening the bond with the family. To make these gatherings more entertaining, parents can add some activities and eatables, so that teens are excited to take part in these events.
Aastha (13)
St Joseph’s Convent School, Jalandhar, Punjab

Social media has changed our lifestyle in many ways and we have become isolated from our family and friends. In today’s world, people do not meet their loved ones very often as they are so glued to using social media. To resolve this problem, we must meditate to be at peace. We should also shorten our screen time. Moreover, if we want to talk to someone, we should try to meet them physically instead of calling them on our phones. Social media is very detrimental to our society and we should limit its use. A family should celebrate an event or festival with all family members to keep them connected and to carry on the cultural traits from one generation to the next.
Aadya Kumar (12)
St Joseph’s Convent High School, Jethuli, Patna

The word ‘social’ itself conveys the meaning that we are interconnected. Media is an instrument to be in relation. Because even in social media, I am with the other. I, by myself, cannot use social media, there must be a person who responds to me. But often it is forgotten that we bring the dignity of a person down to a text message. However, a person should not be reduced to a text message. As humans, whether we are online or offline, we are interconnected, not disconnected. In African Philosophy the concept of “Ubuntu” means “I am because we are.” Because “no man can live as an island.” This is the humanity and a real transformation and a transcendence.
Sureshbabu (22)
Don Bosco Philosophate, Karunapuram

Social media is slowly and gradually weakening our old tradition of physical meeting and gathering. To restore our old traditions, we should reduce the usage and formation of social media groups. Instead, we should encourage people to meet each other physically. We can also organise get-together parties and meet our family members. We should try not to skip community jamborees. Moreover, a resolution to meet our family members and dedicating at least one day a month to them can also bring about a change. These steps can help us to socialise with our close ones.
Anwesha Ajay (12)
St Joseph’s Convent High School, Jethuli, Patna

Although India’s institutional framework remains very conducive, there are indications of a weakening social fabric. Currently, the rate of change is fast. Often technology can bring negative/zero interactions between family members. It starves the family of learning and modelling with each other. Today, people care less for the family and remain busy on phones to avoid family gatherings and conversations.
Rashmo Mehta (16)
St Joseph’s Convent High School, Jethuli, Patna

India has a very rich culture and among them the most prominent one is a social gathering. Social media is indeed making people sweep away from social gatherings. Youngsters have started being self-centred. Also, a feeling of social phobia is at its peak these days. People avoid social gatherings as their first and foremost priority is “privacy”. The only solution for this is trying to limit the usage of mobile phones. Its minimum usage will always be beneficial for all those who avoid community jamborees. Mixing with people and getting fascinated by their stories and lives would also remove social phobia and make them more confident.
Gauri Sharma (16)
St Joseph’s Convent High School, Patna

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Digital Marketing is a modern way of promoting brands, products and services using all forms of digital channels such as websites, email, social media, mobile apps, etc.

What’s this career about?

Digital marketing is another name for online marketing. These days every business and company utilizes digital marketing strategies as people use their mobile phones almost all day, making it easier to reach potential customers.

There are different types of digital marketing some of which are:

SEO Marketing or search engine optimization, is one of the most widespread and in-demand skills in the digital marketing world. In essence, SEO marketing is all about designing and creating content to rank highly in search engines when consumers ask brand-relevant queries and industry-applicable searches.

Social Media Marketing is a fast-growing vertical within digital marketing and can serve as a powerful tool in a business’ advertising arsenal. In this specialty, you will develop content and advertising strategies that promote customer interest and engagement on a variety of social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok.

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Dear Shirin,

It seems like that you are not only embarrassed but also feel frustrated that you cannot convince your parents about letting you use social media.

Be clear about why you want to use social media; it will help you to manage how much time you want to spend on it and what you put on it. Do some research on the safe use of social media — creating strong passwords, who to befriend and who not to, how to block users, what kind of posts are safe to place. Create a chart of safety rules you will follow for each site you want to be on.

Acknowledge and appreciate your parents’ love for you, and their concern for your safety. Encourage them to share exactly what they are worried about. Seek permission to share with them the research you have done because you want to be a responsible user. Sharing information can help both of you to learn about safe use of social media. If they don’t agree, be patient and continue to discuss it with them. If they agree, put up the rules chart in your home and stick with it. Let your parents monitor your use for a while till they are convinced that you are doing fine. Keep communicating with them. Keep their trust and stay safe.

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‘Social media are interactive technologies that allow the creation or sharing/exchange of information, ideas, career interests, and other forms of expression via virtual communities and networks.’ (Wikipedia)

The effects of social media are far-reaching with over 100 million registered users. It has its advantages as it helps us to connect with like-minded people and enables us develop our full potential. Non-profit organisations are able to garner funds for good causes. It’s a gateway to culture, tips on health and the tenets of our faith. However, it has many pitfalls we need to guard against.

Social media is deliberately addictive as it is a control tool used by companies to push their products. The more time spent online, the more do social media companies earn. They have the rights to personal data which can be packaged and sold through the expertise of attention engineers, enabling companies insidiously target us in order to sell their products. It is good to know that the social media, at times is an alternate, fake reality. Our brains are being rewired. Social media is ripping the social fabric and we are not that close to our families anymore.

We start having fragmented attention spans during our waking hours as we keep checking out for WhatsApp and Facebook messages. We cannot concentrate. It is pertinent to note that the younger generation is targeted with make belief. Dopamine released has a 400% spike when we get a ‘Like’, akin to cocaine. But is a ‘Like’ really so important that it takes precedence over interaction with friends and family? Social media is surreptitiously tapping human insecurity and we think “What do others think of me?”; the others generally being our peer group. We are crestfallen when we do not get that approval or ‘Like’.

One major drawback of social media is that there is no legal age for using it. Excessive use is affecting the mental health of young people who may not be able to realize that they are being manipulated.

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