Last week, I wrote an article about Kim Kardashian being robbed at gun point in Paris. I blamed her constant exposure on social media as the cause of this crime. It also got me thinking about how obsessed I have been in the past with social media, the depression it can lead to, and the bullying social media use causes.

It's not only bullying and negative comments that are consequences of social media use; our location is always enabled by geotags on Snapchat, and we tag where we are on Instagram and Facebook. We look to see what people are wearing, constantly check our number of likes, and see if the guy we're currently talking to has liked our recent post. As someone who is part of this culture and generation, I have participated in tagging where I go to brunch at and scrolling through my feed to see how I can update my wardrobe, but I've recently realized how problematic these things are.

The only reason we constantly post is to make others jealous of what we are doing; we want to seem like we have the perfect life. We want to show off our ability to balance school, work, and a social life by posting pictures with our friends, significant others, or traveling and becoming cultured in a different city or country. We post what we are doing all the time: who we're with, where we are, and why we think a certain life event is important. We also want others to see why that particular event is significant.

I've realized the value of living in the moment and not having to worry about getting that perfect picture all of the time. Being present with the people around you, enjoying what you're doing, where you are, and doing what you love are what really matter. When we look back on our lives, we'll see that we are just looking behind a screen the entire time and missing out on what could have been, whether it was a life-changing opportunity, a potential love interest, or just being aware of your surroundings, which is all too important.