The　advent　of　the　digital　age　represents　a　transformative　era　in　which　technology,　primarily　social　media　platforms,　has　become　an　integral　part　of　the　daily　lives　of　individuals　worldwide.　Students　are　the　most　prolific　users　of　social　media,　utilizing　these　platforms　for　a　variety　of　purposes,　including　communication,　information　sharing,　entertainment,　and　social　networking.　This　study　evaluated　the　connection　between　student　social　media　use　and　academic　performance　through　family　bonding　and　collaborative　learning.　This　research　also　explores　how　mental　wellbeing　moderates　the　link　between　students’　family　bonding,　collaborative　learning,　and　academic　performance.　This　research　article　analyzes　a　sample　of　330　university　students　from　the　public　and　private　sectors　and　tests　the　proposed　hypothesized　relationships.　The　study　used　the　Partial　Least　Squares　Structural　Equation　Modelling　(PLS-SEM)　methodological　approach　for　evaluating　proposed　parameters.　The　findings　indicated　that　social　media　use　positively　correlated　with　students’　academic　performance.　Second,　family　bonding　and　collaborative　learning　significantly　moderated　the　association　between　students’　academic　performance　and　social　media　use.　Finally,　mental　well-being　significantly　moderated　the　connection　between　students’　collaborative　learning,　family　bonding,　and　academic　performance.　This　study’s　findings　contribute　to　the　knowledge　of　global　education　with　valuable　insights　into　students’　psychological　well-being　and　academic　performance.　In　theory,　the　current　research　advances　the　scientific　understanding　of　education　by　assessing　social　media　usage’s　effects　on　students’　academic　performance　and　psychological　well-being.　©　2023,　The　Author(s),　under　exclusive　licence　to　Springer　Science+Business　Media,　LLC,　part　of　Springer　Nature.