I know that you despise the so-called “Finsta Fam” craze that has shaken up social media. But the truth is, the “Finsta Fam,” like any other social networking platform, can either be mistreated or instead used in a way that is both fulfilling and fun. I’m tired of hearing complaining about a platform that some people have not even experienced.

Like many other teenagers, social media became a compulsory aspect of middle school and high school for me. I set up my Facebook account on my 13th birthday, a time when the social media platform was still relatively new. When other apps such as Instagram and Snapchat surfaced years later, I was hesitant about them and held off downloading them for as long as I could. It wasn’t until the end of my Junior year that I finally caved and set up an Instagram— and I’ll admit, I’ve been hooked ever since.

Like many other apps, it is only a matter of time before the platform or the way people use it alters, and Instagram was no different. Shortly after I jumped on the Instagram train, a new phenomenon on the app surfaced: the “Finsta.” And when I first heard about it, my first reaction was similar to many others: What is the point?

I had heard that "Finstas" were just for people who wanted to parade their drunkenness under the blanket of a private account, away from people they cared about impressing. I heard that naked selfies, videos of throwing up, and screenshots of text messages were the usual postings. None of those really applied to my lifestyle, so why would I ever even bother?

When I began seeing my sister’s posts, though, I eventually decided to create one and try it out. To my surprise, the account, or being part of the so-called “Finsta Fam,” has been one of the most strangely satisfying social media experiences I have witnessed.

Of course, there is occasionally the drunk selfie or the self-proclaimed partiers bragging about their latest escapade, but in general I have found that people merely post random pictures cataloguing their day and explaining their feelings. The “Finsta Fam” at my school is made up of an array of different people from different friend groups, all watching the private lives of acquaintances at the same school. Even though I follow some people I have never talked to, seeing the random pictures of their heartaches, tears, and adventures gives me a strange sense of humanity and closeness that I have never witnessed before. So why do so many people have this negative idea of the “Finsta Fam?"

I am positive that for some people, the “Finsta Fam” is misused and misinterpreted as an account for the inappropriate X-Files of the lives of teenagers. But for me and my friends, the “Finsta Fam” is a safe place where feelings of body image, disappointment, and happiness can be shared freely. Oftentimes when someone is having a difficult day or a hard problem, he or she will be flooded with comments of support and help. For me, I use the account to post some of the poetry that I wouldn’t want everyone to see. I am met with support from my fellow classmates with every poem, and the platform gives me a secure place to post my poetry without the fear that it will get in the wrong hands.

Some would argue that this is a false sense of security and appreciation and that we rely on social media for forms of acceptance and validation. But the truth is, the “Finsta Fam” is nothing more than our own personal diaries. “Likes” don’t matter since the accounts are private and only a few people follow them. Some people post once a week, others many times a day. But no matter what, the “Finsta Fam” is an online community of friends and strangers alike who are just trying to make it through each day as happy human beings.

Social media, in general, has gotten a lot of heat over the years, and for the right reasons. There have been countless cases of cyberbullying, self-validation through “likes” and comments, and a social media addiction that has supposedly crippled the nation’s teenagers. And I can definitely see how the “Finsta Fam” could be placed into this category if used incorrectly. But for those of us who are benefiting from such a caring online outlet, it isn’t fair for people to judge a social networking platform that they have never even used before.