It's fascinating to see how taken aback people are when I tell them I don't have a Snapchat. Well ladies and gentlemen, so you never ask me again or have to ponder why- here's a breakdown of why I absolutely refuse to make a Snapchat.
1. It’s a waste of time
I already have Instagram and Facebook and I consider myself fairly active on both- why on earth would I add a third platform for me to incessantly check? If I want to keep up with certain people, I can ASK. Or they can just separately send me pictures! OK, I get it. It’s a lot of effort to save the image and individually share the news, but believe it or not, there was a time when Snapchat didn't exist- it can be done!!. I'd much rather spend my time doing something that will mean something five years from now than clicking away more time.
2. It's fleeting
Note: This GIF isn't really relevant- just cute and worth sharing!
I guess that in itself is some twisted wonderful regard to Snapchat but nonetheless, I genuinely want to treasure my memories. I prefer platforms like Instagram and Facebook because it gives me something to look back on. I know I can just save the photo but to every other point in this post, there's no need to add an additional social media platform for the same things I can do elsewhere.
3. I don’t feel the need to update everyone 24/7
Pretty self-explanatory. I understand that I can opt-out and simply not post but knowing me, I would probably actually want to post. In order to avoid the initial temptation, I'd rather just save myself the time by not engaging in something that would likely become habitual.
4. ...do people actually care?
Let’s be real, of all the stories you “watch”, how many of them do you rapidly click through without really watching whatever they posted? I get it, the ones that want to will actually watch BUT they’ll also take time to stay updated in real life if they care enough to.I get that you may have got THIS CLOSE to some singer and you lost your voice at some concert and blah blah blah. I'm happy for you, I really am- but I'd much rather hear about it in conversation than pretending to enjoy it as much as you did over a cell phone screen.
5. It takes away from the present moment
I cannot quantify the number of INCREDIBLE events I’ve been to only to have someone with a perfect view Snapchatting the entire thing (hence, blocking mine). Let’s be real, no matter how many videos you take of any experience, nothing will ever be able to recreate what it’s like to actually be there. For heaven's sake, put your phone down for .2 seconds and marvel at the moment while it still exists.
6. If I want to, I can now use Instagram for the same purpose
A lot of people call me out because I post on Instagram stories now which is a fair point to get a Snapchat. However, if I can do the exact same thing on Instagram, I’m back to my first point- there is no need to get a third social media platform!
I get it - I get that the filters are cute, streaks are fun to keep (but also meaningless, if you ask me), and that it can also be a source of news. As much as I enjoy getting into the latest trends and all (sarcasm), Snapchat is just something I can simply live without. To each their own, folks.
