Instagram was released on smartphones in 2010. Since then, it has rapidly risen to popularity, chiefly amongst millennials, and now boasts more than 300 million active users. It ranks as the second most used social media platform in the United States (behind Facebook), and ranks first in terms of social media importance. As unlikely as it seems, using Instagram for a few years has taught me some valuable life lessons.

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1. Likes are irrelevant.

The "double tap" was made famous by Instagram as the action one does to show they like another person's picture. For some, having a few of their close friends click that like button is satisfactory enough; they aren't trying to make a statement or boast, but just want to share something with their friends. For others, obtaining as many likes as possible is paramount to a successful Instagram post, and anything less than 50, 100, or 200 likes means that post was not a success. Any Instagram-savvy person will tell you that the keys to boosting one's likes include uploading a picture with someone famous, showing some skin, or texting all of your friends and asking them to like your post. But why? What is 200 likes on your picture going to get you, other than the occasional "wow" from someone? Likes on Instagram are analogous to friends on Facebook; you can have hundreds, but do you really associate with every single follower that liked your picture, or would you rather focus on sharing your experiences with your close friends and family? Sure, having many likes on a picture boosts its visibility in terms of appearing on other Instagram feeds, which is understandable for posts with important messages. For the daily selfie, however, those likes aren't as important. Your self-worth is higher than the number of likes on your Instagram picture; don't lower your standards and judge yourself quantitatively. Post pictures on Instagram to share memories and moments with others, not to receive as many likes as possible.

2. Pictures are a powerful form of communication.

As we go through this digital and technological revolution, pictures are increasingly becoming the primary means of communication, and an extremely powerful one at that. Previously, literature was the primary means to communicate social issues, such as Upton Sinclair's "The Jungle," Eric Schlosser's "Fast Food Nation," Harriett Beecher Stowe's "Uncle Tom's Cabin," and even Anne Frank's "Diary of a Young Girl." These pieces of literature collectively spurred social changes in their respective eras, and brought public attention to these urgent matters. Similarly, people are now taking to Instagram to showcase social injustices around the world, and these pictures provide firsthand looks at what is truly happening. Popular accounts include Humans of New York (@humansofny), HeForShe (@heforshe), Charity Water (@charitywater), and Free The Nipple (@freethenipple). These are accounts promoting change in the world. In the above image, this artist is drawing a feminist message on the pavement in Washington Square Park, a public place frequented by thousands of people every day. His goal is to promote gender equality by creating a work of art which would be seen by passersby and hopefully connect with even one person in order to change the world for the better. Still images like this one really open your eyes to what is happening around the world that we may not otherwise be aware of.

3. Pictures convey stories.

Yes, the cliché regarding pictures speaking a thousand words is true. Pictures convey what mere words cannot--a realistic depiction of a person or a place. Consider the embedded image above. Just from this one snapshot of this man playing the guitar, you can perceive several things. You can observe the isolation of the man; he is playing a guitar in New York City, but seems to be detached from society as a whole. As the caption describes, he is working hard and probably trying to earn a living by playing in public and soliciting donations from passersby. Furthermore, the mangled and torn condition of the road amplifies this man's impoverished condition, serving as a reflection to his predicament. This kind of image is common in New York City, with performers seen everywhere from the streets to inside subway cars to popular tourist attractions. When walking in the city, it's easy to overlook these artists amongst the hustle and bustle of city life, but seeing this person frozen in a snapshot truly makes one ponder his life's story.

4. The world is seen in different perspectives.

Seeing other people's Instagram posts help you understand the different perspectives and viewpoints some may have of a person, place, or object. I often find myself seeing someone else's Instagram picture of a place I'm familiar with, but the way they took the picture and the accompanying caption open my eyes to how they view the same thing as me. It is both an enticing yet humbling thing to see something differently, but it is always a positive thing. Being narrow-minded never benefits anyone, and being open to different interpretations and the subjectivity of others allows us to connect better with them. Consider the image displayed above. Without reading the caption, he just seems like an ordinary person, sitting in a park and reading a book. If I were to walk past him in this scene, I wouldn't give him a second look. There's seemingly nothing extraordinary about him. However, when you see the same person through the eyes of this photographer, along with the quote describing what he is doing, you see him in a completely different light. He goes from an ordinary person to someone trying to make a difference in society by helping children. Without the perspective of this particular Instagram account, his uniqueness and efforts would be unnoticed by a vast majority of people, and it is exactly this capability of perspective that makes pictures so powerful.

5. Food is beautiful.

One of the earliest uses of Instagram was to post pictures of delicious and expertly crafted dishes of food, and what's not to love? Food is beautiful, both in terms of flavor as well as appearance. Some chefs go to great lengths to create dishes and drinks that are as visually appealing as they are delectable, and it is seemingly obligatory to show them off as a form of admiration for the effort involved. In the picture above, these giant milkshakes rapidly rose to fame in New York City by a restaurant called BlackTap (they have two locations in Manhattan). As these remarkable milkshakes made the rounds on Instagram, more and more people discovered what they were missing (myself included), and flooded to the restaurants to be able to partake in the frenzy, resulting in wait times of over three hours. Posting pictures of your food on Instagram is a convenient way to share appealing food with your followers, so please don't keep them a secret.