The setting: a teenager’s cluttered bathroom redolent of Victoria Secret perfume. Extreme lighting? Check. Duck face? Check. Filter? Double check. Finally, and most importantly, a quote depicting hatred towards said picture. #LikesforLikes.

Everyday, teens all over the world log onto these social media monsters wishing to gain the approval of others through superficial pictures that degrade the intelligence of those who look at it. Almost nobody is innocent from this act, for it is rapidly becoming the culture to constantly improve the infamous selfie. All this hard work and preparation in choosing the perfect picture‒all for what? Six hundred followers does not equate to six hundred real friends. Studies show that social media can actually make you feel bad about yourself. According to a study last year by the University of Michigan, the more people checked Facebook, the worse they felt about their lives. The youth culture is too caught up with being ‘liked’ on Instagram rather than being a good person in real life. If we can slow down to consider what’s true and what’s real then we can be more conscientious about the way we treat one another. The male population is not exempt from this dark stigma either. They too seek approval from others via retweets, likes, and favorites.

The more likes, the greater the social standing you appear to have, and people feel that satisfaction when they get a lot of likes. It means that they're “pretty and popular”, and that makes them think higher of themselves. This social media madness is practically a competition for the number of likes; anxiety builds as you get likes based on how many friends you have, and you have to keep posting things to get more friends, and therefore, a vicious circle. However, not having 100 intangible, insignificant double-taps on your picture doesn’t make you any less appealing. A collection of students commented that they too choose pictures based on what they think will constitute the most likes.

However, with new developments in technology, has the romance of asking someone out been lost? Before being somebody’s #WomanCrushWednesday was the sweetest thing a boy could do, the boy would actually meet the girl’s parents before taking her out. Growing up in the digital age where practically anything is at the touch of a button, we seem to lose sight of the special moments that held more meaning in a simpler time. Our grandparents never experienced the childish amusement of a text fight. Our parents never had the opportunity to Facebook stalk each other before they got married. The idea has become too casual, and in an interview with a known lady-killer, “it needs more thought put into it.” When asked what his ideal Valentine’s Day date would be, he commented, “Nothing beats the traditional style. I would ask my lady out in person, go see The Notebook, and cry three tears. However not nearly as hard as I did in Marley and Me. We would grab dinner at Olive Garden because of the delicious breadsticks. After, I would drop her off, walk her to her door, and ask for a goodnight hug.” On the other hand, not everybody is as old-school as this young gentleman. Others comment that the most widely-used methods are DM-sliding, #WCW’s/#MCM’s, and online dating. So which method should you use? A collection of students agree that it should be a culmination of the two. One should DM-slide (a private message on Twitter) and then go out for a nice dinner and a movie. So this weekend take some time and think about what you would like to do while still sticking to traditional values but also communicating through social media.

In the real world, “likes” don’t matter. People can communicate in over 140 characters, and hashtags don’t define us. Getting involved is your opportunity to define yourself, to believe in something. So get up, become a part of something because your future starts now. Put down the phone, logout of Twitter, and go into the world and explore what it has to offer.