Social media has become a very prominent aspect of modern society. It's extremely difficult to find anyone between the ages of 15-24 who doesn't have at least two forms of social media. Recent technology has even allowed us to carry social media along with us on our cell phones. But this amazing advancement in technology brings many concerns from the older generation.
As a student graduating with a degree in Media Communications, it would be strange for me to not have at least one form of social media. However, I cannot tell you how many times I have been told by the older generations that I should "be careful" when posting to my social media so that a future employer doesn't see something to use as an excuse to not hire me. Although these concerns can be well founded, they don't focus on every issue social media brings. Everyone says that you should be intentional about what you post on social media because of your future employers. But what about your future children?
In a day where social media is beginning to replace the family photo album, many people may not think that an Instagram account is the new family photo album. Our generation is really the first that will have children who can google us. They can pull up our Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, etc. And what will they conclude from our posts?
Believe it or not, what you post on social media says something about you. It tells others what you perceive as memorable. What you believed were important, worthy moments to share with the rest of the world forever. The things you posted to your Instagram account are photos that your children will have to look back on. Rather than flipping through your high school yearbook, your kids will scroll through your Instagram feed to see photos of you from your Senior Night of college softball, or your pictures from your high school Prom. Don't worry, I'm not going to preach at you about what photos are appropriate or irresponsible, etc. But what I am going to tell you is to be intentional.
Don't post to your social media just to post to it. Preserve the moments that you feel are vastly important to you. Not only will it be there to show your kids who you were in the past, but it will show them that you were once like them. You were once young and unknowing. Look through your own Instagram feed from beginning to end, and I guarantee you'll notice a change in what you posted about and how you posted about it. You'll see that the things you valued changed. You'll see that the ex you thought you were going to marry didn't work out. You'll see how that random guy you ran into at work became your husband. You'll see how young you really were back in high school when you thought you had it all figured out.
So be intentional in what you preserve as memories. These are the photos your children will have to look back upon when remembering you. Don't get caught up in technology, because it's still important to live in the moment. But don't forget that it's not a bad thing to want to preserve your most precious moments either.
