What does it mean to actually live in the moment and collect memories these days?

Personally, it means to experience new and exciting things. One special moment shared with people you love or someone new, which you'll soon replay over and over in your head. A moment that is so special that it could never occur twice.

To others, it's replayed repeatedly on their Snapchat stories, to prove they live a cool enough life so that all of their Instagram followers and story viewers see that they are actually doing something interesting this summer.

Although these social media outlets are a great way to communicate with other people and stay connected, we should be experiencing these moments in time for ourselves, not just for our viewers.

Now I know I'm guilty of the way I also use these media outlets, just like others. Spending time on these apps have become more of a lifestyle rather than a hobby in our generation.

We need to break this trend.

Social media, especially in the summertime, has felt more like a competition to see who is going on the coolest, most original and exciting new adventures. Why can't we just go on these journeys through life for ourselves without comparing it to what others are doing through what we see on Instagram?

Growing up with the media playing such a huge role in our lives, we, as a society, feel the need to constantly go out of our ways to post on these outlets every aspect of our lives. Whether it is what we are eating, doing, wearing, or experiencing, we feel a sense of obligationto post and boast about it.

Yes, it is nice to have the ability to look back on memories through pictures and occasionally videos. But is it really necessary to post a 15-minute Snapchat story of you singing along to every song at that wild music festival you are at? Look at the band in front of you instead! You are most likely not going to have that opportunity again! Why are you glued to your phone!?

Live in the moment and put your phone down. Do more things for yourself, not for the social approval of others.

Realistically, who really cares what other people are doing. As long as you are going through life with the people you love beside you, what more could you really ask for?

Not every moment in time can be captured. That's why the saying is, "live in the moment" extra emphasis on the "live". Not "Quick, let me pull up my Snapchat to record every second of this moment that might be really special in a day or two."

Each glance at your phone during these new experiences is a moment wasted from being completely there.

Please, be there.

The camera will not always capture the best days of our lives.