Being a twenty-something millennial, I love my social media time as much as the next person. There's no doubt that social media is a large part of our lives in this day and age, We definitely are the generation that spends the most time liking pictures, tweeting, snap-chatting, etcetera, etcetera. The social media platforms out there are endless. And they can be good, but they can also be bad. Are the benefits greater than the drawbacks?

Social media has a way of showing us a distorted portion of reality. You know that one girl you follow from high school who looks nothing like she does in real life? Or the "model" boy who seems to have a camera following him around at every second of every day? How about the ex-best friend who's life appears to be absolutely perfect in every way? The truth is, social media depicts someone's highlight reel, not the everyday behind-the-scenes. Without this realization, our perspectives of the lives of others may become pretty twisted. The comparison game can really mess with your head.

Now, there are some good uses of social media. It's a great way to stay connected with friends and family. It's also a wonderful way to promote your business or interests. Social media can be a lovely place to find new ideas, new content, and stay caught up on the lives of your favorite celebrities. (@kyliejenner, I adore you!) However, you have got to recognize when enough is enough.

This past summer, I took a road trip to Colorado with a few of my best friends. The first night, we were out to dinner at this restaurant in Boulder, (which, by the way, is just about the cutest town I've ever seen), and as we were waiting for our food, three of us, including myself, were mindlessly scrolling through Instagram. The friend who wasn't on his phone called us out on it after a few moments, asking us to simply be present in the moment and enjoy each others' company. After that, let me tell you, I had one of the best dinners I have ever had, and that memory will always stick in my brain.

Like most of you, each Sunday I receive a notification from my iPhone telling me how much time I have spent on my device in the past week, and let me tell you, I am not exactly proud of the number that I see. It truly makes me stop and reflect, and question if social media is really worth my time and energy. We must ask ourselves: What am I gaining from it? Is it helping me to grow as a person?

I am in no way implying that we as a generation should quit social media as a whole. That is completely and utterly unrealistic. However, we do need to be more mindful about the time we spend glued to our phone screens. There's a beautiful world going on outside the realm of your iPhone. Use your devices (and time) wisely.