As a 20-year-old, it's hard to imagine what the world was like without the internet. People couldn't use Google to answer any of their questions, and, at one point, people weren't flooded with e-mails everyday. For an even younger generation, it's nearly impossible to imagine a world without social media. While social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or Snapchat weren't a thing when I was a kid, they definitely grew in popularity when I was in middle school. Junior high is an awkward, weird time in a person's life. Unfortunately, middle school was the age where EVERYONE wanted social media accounts to post pictures, statuses, and keep up with friends.

Just like any other teenager, I created all of the profiles I possibly could. I remember my first one being Facebook, then Instagram, and Snapchat.

Now that I've gotten older and grown together with these social networks, I've realized how fake everyone's profiles have started to become. People are constantly on the look-out for "Instagram worthy spots", hoping that they will get more likes on their pictures than other people. People constantly feel the need to update their Snapchat stories in order to let all of their peers know that they're having a fun time with their friends. While I might be guilty of doing this as well, this is hurting our society.

I have so many friends that only care about their amount of followers and likes. People will edit pictures for hours, removing every imperfection they think is on their face. Honestly, it confuses me. I like posting on my social media platforms just as much as the next millennial, but I've never been caught up in the amount of people who double-tap my posts.

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While everyone's social media accounts make it look like they're living a lavish and fun life 24/7, that's never the case. Just like anybody else, people have work, school, and other obligations that don't allow people to have fun all the time. It can be really depressing to scroll through your feed and think that everybody is having fun... except you. It can be hard to remember that people's social media posts are just an illusion, and we're really not all that different. Some people just care too much about pretending they live in a perfect life, while others don't care enough to post about everything they do.

Even though social media seems to be causing a lot of issues in our society, it can definitely be a positive thing. No matter where you and your friends venture off to after graduating or moving to a new job, you'll always be connected. In today's age, there is no such thing as not knowing what someone is up to. It's way too easy to Google someone's name, or search them up on Facebook.

Social media is also one of the newest and fastest places to get your news. Facebook seems to be one of the main ways I learn about breaking news, and they always have a lot of cute, fun news stories that will warm your heart. Snapchat allows users to send in their own pictures and videos from a news scene, and you're able to see real perspectives from other social media users.

The bottom line: you can't let social media take over your life or fool you. Post whatever you want to post, and don't let yourself get caught up in other people's lives. Enjoy social media for the aspects of connecting, learning, and sharing.