Amanat Johal is a third-year Nursing student who’s excited to discover where her heart fits in the profession. She currently works as a clinical extern on a medical-surgical unit and loves building meaningful connections with patients. Amanat hopes to empower people to take charge of their health and continue growing into a compassionate and confident nurse.
Social media has become an essential part of our everyday lives. From sharing daily updates to keeping up with the latest TikTok trends, it’s almost impossible to stop scrolling. While social media helps us stay connected and communicate more easily, it can also blur the lines between casual and professional language. We may not even realize how much social media is shaping the way we write, speak and express ourselves.
Have we really mastered the art of code switching?
With the popularity of using shortform language and slang, communicating professionally can feel like an adjustment. Words like “slay,” “fire” or “rizz” might work in a group chat, but not in an email to your professor or in the workplace.
When we use casual language all the time, it gets harder for us to “code switch” (changing the way you speak based on your environment) into a professional tone when we need to.
This can cause anxiety during presentations, job interviews or even when sending a professional email. AI tools have also become a common resource to help students sound more polished, which shows how challenging it has become to maintain a professional voice on our own.
Professionalism isn’t old school, it’s useful
Professional communication isn’t about sounding fancy; it’s about showing confidence, credibility and respect.
In nursing, for example, clear communication is linked to patient safety and strong teamwork. The way we speak can help build trust, prevent misunderstandings and make sure everyone is on the same page.
And honestly, this applies no matter what field we are in. Being able to communicate clearly and professionally helps us to show up as capable and reliable.
Reclaiming your voice
Reclaiming professionalism doesn’t mean abandoning your personality, it just means being mindful of how you express yourself in different settings. Here are a few ways to strengthen your communication skills:
- Read more. Start with articles, short stories or topics that genuinely interest you. The more you read, the more your vocabulary and writing style will increase.
- Be mindful of your sources. Theres a lot of misinformation out there, especially on TikTok and Instagram where content can sound true but still be totally inaccurate.
A quick way to check credibility is to ask: Who wrote this? Where did they get their information? York’s Library Research Guides offer easy tools to find credible sources.
- Listen to educational podcasts. They are an easy and engaging way to learn from other professional communicators.
- Practice professional writing. Try drafting emails or practicing interview questions using a confident but respectful tone, without AI assistance.
York’s Career Centre offers great resources to help with this, like one-on-one support, workshops and guidance on how to communicate clearly and professionally.
Be authentic. Communicate in a way that feels natural to you, while adjusting for the situation. When your tone reflects you, your message comes across more clearly and genuinely.
Social media isn’t going anywhere, but that doesn’t mean professionalism has to disappear with it. By being mindful about how you speak and write, you can find a balance between expressing your personality and being professional. The goal isn’t to sound perfect, but to express yourself clearly, confidently and respectfully.
Remember: professionalism isn’t about losing your voice, it’s about refining it!