Student influencer John Ambrose shares how he strikes a balance in his daily life
One of the Seven Social Standards that The Social Institute believes in is: Finding Your Influencers. This means surrounding yourself with positive role models who support you and encourage you to play to your core. To help students find these positive and credible influences, we began our Student Influencer Program. Each week we select a different student to take over our Instagram and highlight how they act as a positive influence and inspiration in their communities.
This week we are excited to introduce John Ambrose. John is a senior at Elon University studying strategic communication with a minor in leadership studies. At Elon, John is involved in New Student Orientation, Office of Admissions, and Isabella Cannon Leadership Fellows. He is very passionate about community involvement and the opportunity to make a meaningful difference. John shares with us a token of advice that he received in his first year of college; “go an inch long and a mile deep”. This means dedicating yourself to only a few extracurriculars so that you have the means to pour all of your time and energy into them rather than taking on many extracurriculars with limited time to offer for each.
Recently, we interviewed John to learn more about him and how social media impacts his life. Here’s what he had to say:
What do you value about yourself or others?
John: Gratitude, empathy, and kindness all fall along the same vein and definitely hold the top spot for me in terms of personal values.
What are your personal goals?
John: I have two goals in life: to never stop learning and to never stop loving.
How have you felt since returning to in-person school?
John: I have tried to steer away from ever “expecting” a feeling. I believe, if someone puts weight into how something will make them feel before it happens, then they will have no choice but to experience the pre-determined emotion. I returned with few expectations and have been pleased with being able to reconnect with friends and be back on campus.
What are the things you try to accomplish each day?
John: Simple tasks- make my bed, text a close friend, do something nice for myself.
What or who inspires you most?
John: People who accept the challenge of growth. I think of growth as the most fascinating form of perseverance. People who accept growth willingly enter into an uncomfortable or tough situation, walk through the pain, and come out the other end stronger. It is a real hero story.
How has social media acted as a positive influence on your life?
John: Social media played a huge role, if not the role, in my social education. There is so much I would be less than adept at without having learned about it on social media. Also, it gave me multiple sources to find information regarding identities different from my home and how I can be cognizant not to perpetuate harmful ideas and systems.
Of our Seven Social standards, which one do you most resonate with and why?
John: Definitely Strike A Balance. I am a firm believer that everything is fine in moderation. Dedicating your entire life to work or your social life is bound to fail. All people need to find the perfect balance of a number of different things pertaining to their life in order to find some semblance of peace.
If you could go back and talk to your younger self, what advice would you give to him about navigating social media or social relationships?
John: I would tell them to lean in, not out. I think in my young teen years I steered away from social media platforms because of people always talking about the widespread toxicity. That is something I have never experienced on those platforms, and honestly, they have helped me to love myself more.
We are so excited to have John as a part of the Student Influencer Program. John is the perfect example of using social media to grow, learn, and broaden our horizons. We are eager to watch John continue to lead and make meaningful impacts on his community. If you know a student who is accomplishing great things, we want to highlight them! We love sharing impressive students with the world. Contact us here.
About The Social Institute
The Social Institute partners with schools nationwide to empower students, families, and educators to positively navigate social-emotional health, social media, and technology. Schools access our student-respected, turnkey curriculum through WinAtSocial.com, an interactive, gamified learning platform. With solutions for students, parents, and educators, we offer a systemic and comprehensive SEL program through a unique and positive approach. We are proud to serve public and independent partners such as Ravenscroft School, Woodward Academy, Oldfields School, All Saints Episcopal School, Lake Forest School District, Boston Public Schools, and more. For more information on how to empower your students to make high-character decisions online and off, please contact us.