First and foremost, social media can be a great thing. A collection of memories, a way to connect, etc., but it can also be extremely fake. I am guilty of this charade too. Posting a picture of me and my friend or boyfriend smiling may look cute, but what if I told you we were arguing five minutes before that “picture-perfect” post? Influencers especially can be guilty of falsifying pages. People want to share the good memories, but not the bad, and sometimes we forget that. Think of social media as a way to share great moments, not as a guide for what your life should look like.
I have found that, for myself, Snapchat can blind me from the real world. The other day my friend used the phrase “we all basically date Bitmojis.” This stuck with me because unfortunately this is often true in our world. Because it’s such an immediate and accessible way to communicate with people, we sometimes forget there are actual humans around us. I find myself picking up my phone to record or share memories far more than I allow myself to be present in that moment. This is something that I am working on after looking back on my high school years. Half of my issues with miscommunication happen because of Snapchat. Nothing is better than talking through stuff and communicating in front of the person, not behind the screen.
Don’t compare yourself. I begrudgingly admit that I find myself comparing my appearance or life to others on social media. We all have our insecurities and we are really good at magnifying those in others posts. I have begun to train myself to appreciate and love myself for who I am and view social media in a way that does not bring myself down, but brings others up. Be who you are and enjoy social media as a collection of memories and entertainment. My digital camera is now my baby because I snap memories, but I am not drawn into a screen. Don’t go through some of the best years of your life behind a screen, go live them out being present with the people you love.
When the world of social media impacts your mental health and you find yourself drowning in ‘I wish’ or ‘she’s perfect,’ consider a break from all the notifications and bright screens. Go for a walk or leave your phone at home when you hang with friends. My friends have some dinners where we stack all of our phones in the middle so that we are really present with each other. This is not an easy thing to do, and I am not good at this skill. I recently had to buy a $5 Target device safe that locks my phone in until a timer is done; I am fully aware of how sad this is. Although it is so difficult for some people, its benefits are clear: we find ourselves in the moment and we notice the world around us. It’s like when you look through a microscope and you are so focused on what you’re looking at that you are completely oblivious to what is outside of the lens. We go through our days looking through the microscope rather than stepping back and realizing the beauty of the world.
