Social media is undeniably one of the most important aspects of our lives. Young adults are captivated by likes, streaks, and video content. There is an abundance of Instagram influencers, who theoretically get paid to post a highlight reel of their lives. These individuals post highly edited pictures of their extravagant vacations, picture perfect bodies, or faces tampered by apps like FaceTune.
They create a false sense of reality that people should be living as good of a life as their unrealistic ones.
What we have to realize is, none of it is 'real'. No one posts the pictures of themselves depressed in bed, no one posts the pictures of themselves drowning in homework at the library. It isn't glamorous, but it's real. Collectively, that is what almost every college kid can relate to, but that won't get as many likes, so no one wants to post it.
People want to show off their lives and capture a moment to post on social media, and there's nothing wrong with that. Everyone does it, but we have to stop pretending that having a beautiful Instagram page, means people don't struggle with something. We all struggle with everyday life, events, and inner demons that go unseen.
How many times have you scrolled through your Instagram feed and thought "Wow I wish I had his/her life," or "Wow they get so many likes, I wish I was them," or "Wow he/she is so skinny and attractive, how do I look like them." This is detrimental for everyone involved in social media. The constant comparison from someone's social media life to your REAL life is so unhealthy and unfair.
People think that they need to look like someone or be as skinny as someone else in order to fill an emptiness created by societal 'norms'. Realistically, how many times have you thought to yourself "I need to go to the gym and start eating better" after seeing an Instagram model in a size 0 bikini on the beach in Tahiti?
More times than not, you do not start going to the gym, and THAT IS OKAY. You have more important things going on in your life than to worry about looking as good as someone else. But, seeing these pictures of a beautiful model's life sends you into a spiral of self-loathing.
We need to stop pretending that Instagram is a reality. At the end of the day, you are loved, you are you, and do not need to look like anyone else to feel good about yourself. Let's face it, if every girl weighed 90 lbs, had big lips, light eyes, and long hair, the world would be a pretty boring place.
Take a break from social media and convince yourself that who you are is good enough. I know it's easier said than done but work on it. Delete Instagram and Twitter for just one day, and see the difference in your thoughts.
