If I say the phrases 372 likes, 52 favorites, or 97 retweets, you all know exactly what I'm talking about. Even if you aren't on social media for some reason, you know what I mean. Personally, I have a love/hate relationship with social media. I'm one of those people that checks it way to often and is always checking how many likes, favorites, or retweets I've gotten. It's sick. I hate myself for it, but it's so addicting. I'm sure many of you can relate, and while we like to fight older generations that say social media isn't taking over our lives, but I fear that it is.
Have you ever been at dinner with someone who won't get off of their phone?
This is my biggest pet peeve. If I ever catch myself on my phone at dinner, I immediately put it in my purse and don't look at it for the rest of the meal. I feel so bad if I do it to someone else, but it seems like other people don't even notice when they do it to me. I have had to call my friends out and tell them to get off their phone and talk to me. It's crazy that I have to compete for attention with a four-inch screen. Talk to me, laugh with me, make memories with me. It won't kill you to put it down for an hour of your time.
If you checked your account two minutes ago, it won't look that different when you check it again.
I swear I've been in situations when my friends will check their Instagram picture that they posted, and then they tell me, "Look, I'm at 97 likes, I'm about to hit 100." Then, a minute later when a single like notification pops up on their screen, they'll pick up their phone and check their picture again. We both know you're at 98 likes, now, considering you literally just told me you were at 97, so I don't see why it's necessary to look at it all over again. That quick glance at your home screen tells you who liked it, so I don't see what's left to check.
It sounds cliche, but you are worth more than your social media likes.
It drives me insane when people delete their tweets or pictures because they didn't get "enough likes." How do you quantify "enough" on social media? I've never understood that. You post a picture because you like it, and then you let a number of likes make you like it more or less? You should like a picture because of the people in it and the memory it brings, not because it brought you attention or likes.
The kicker: social media while driving.
This goes in the same boat as driving, but I can't tell you how many people I've seen check their Twitter feed while driving. I can't stress enough how much this angers me. Not only are you risking your own life but also the lives of your passengers and drivers around you. I don't see how this doesn't cross some people's minds. Do you think you're just that good of a driver that you're invincible? That's just not the case. Put the phone down. Get off the social media. You can check it when you get to where you're going.
I love social media more than the next person, but I do think it's important to chill out from time to time. Don't let it consume your life and keep you from having actual fun. You shouldn't have to worry so much about what's on social media. Focus on what you're doing with your life. Focus on what's going on with your family and friends. Focus on having fun and making the most of the life you're given. Social media is fun, but it isn't everything.
