Social media, for the longest time, was something that I avoided. For a while I only had a Facebook, and after getting bullied on it, I quit using that. After a while with no social media, I ended up with an Instagram, and that's how it stayed for several years. Then came college. I don't know what it is about college, but social media is basically required to get through it. For my sorority I had to once again get a Facebook, and, two years later, I'm now keeping up with my Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and a Snapchat. That isn't where the problem lies, though. It's in the fact that I need to check them constantly.
Whether it's Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Snapchat, I probably know within about 10 seconds if someone liked my post, commented, sent me a Snap, Retweeted me or whatever the case may be. I know I have a problem. Whenever I post a new profile picture or a new picture on Instagram, I need to watch it and see how many likes I get. I love seeing the fast response, and if I don't get that, I start becoming a bit insecure. In general, I know the best times to post pictures to ensure I get more likes, and won't dare to post them at certain times for the exact opposite reason. I actually have to force myself to answer comments or Tweets later than when I see them, because I feel creepy to respond when I actually do notice the comment. I've even been known to take down an Instagram post if it doesn't get any likes in a certain amount of time.
On one hand, this is kind of sad. If I need to see how many likes I'm getting or if I'm getting a response to something, doesn't that go against my philosophy that although social media can cause bullying and many other bad things like it did when I was younger, that it can also be a positive thing? In a way, yes. These are consequences of me using social media. However, I still believe that social media can be, and is, a positive entity.
We wouldn't use social media if it was a completely bad thing. A lot of people post on social media in order to get likes and attention. Is that a bad thing? I know that getting likes and comments on a picture that I post is a definite self-esteem boost, and although it does have the effect of me constantly having to check it, I'm not exactly unhappy with that.
So here's the question. If someone enjoys checking social media constantly (like myself), do they need to look internally, think it over and stop doing it?
From my bullying experience, I was left with a major lack of self-esteem that I have been gradually attempting to replenish within myself. If checking social media, uploading pictures and chronicling my life on it is how I prove to myself that I have people who care about me while connecting with them and checking up on them on it as well is what makes me happy, who is anyone else to judge?
Everyone has their own reasons for using social media. Some use certain ones more than others or may use a platform differently than another. Who are we, as individuals, to judge how someone else wants to use a platform specifically made to express oneself and broadcast themselves the way that they want to be seen? Sure, you are allowed to not like that someone may post way too much or you don't like something that they may post, but if it makes them happy, why can't they do it?
I'm addicted to checking social media. I like posting random things I do or strange things that happen to me on Twitter. I like to post giant albums of vacation photos on Facebook. I Snapchat just about anything I find funny or interesting. And I post on Instagram for life events or just the best pictures I have. Who am I to tell someone that how they use a platform is wrong, simply according to how I use it? And who is someone else to tell me I'm not allowed to check social media every five minutes, just because normal people don't?
Use social media how you want to. It is a way to express and broadcast oneself in a way that you want to be represented. Maybe you're addicted to checking it like me, or maybe you don't update your life on there as often as people think you should. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. It's just a tool. Use it the way you like, and remember to just be you.
