I know you get mad at those people who incessantly post pictures to Instagram, but let's be honest. Isn't some of that anger because the person posting made a beautiful four-course meal and you're sitting at your computer with a hot pocket in hand? Anyways, I'm thinking of going a little further than social media sites. Dare I go beyond the smartphone?

If you are having a great time with friends or family, take a picture! If you are walking by the coolest graffiti you’ve ever seen in your life or just so happen to be in Taco Bell at the same time as half the basketball team, embrace the fact that fate has smiled on you today and take your fan photo! But take the picture for yourself. Take the picture and keep it because it is a special memory for you, not because you need to prove to all of your friends/followers/second cousin’s boyfriends that you did something worthwhile today.

I think the art of photography is being lost lately because people are documenting every moment of their day with pictures and feel the need to share them all instantaneously on every account that they have. Personally, I think that photos mean more when they become physical.

I grew up with the privilege of having a father who used to be a photographer and enjoys reminiscing. This means that I was not only fortunate to grow up with beautiful photos of key events of my life, but they are also kept in wonderful albums at home. Whenever I’m feeling a little blue I can head over to the bookcase and grab an album that features cheerful memories that I shared with people I love. If I want to go back to a time where my biggest worries in the world were what I was going to make out of Play-doh, I only have to flip through a few pages to find the childhood wonder captured in a photograph.

Like my Dad, I also love to take pictures and find a way to display them. In my room I have a ginormous bulletin board, which I’ve covered with over 100 photos from the past few years. Whenever the homework grind is getting me down I can simply look up and relive the happiness of football blocks and family vacations past. Physical photographs give you the ability to enjoy the picture for more than just the three seconds it was on your newsfeed. When a favorite memory is hanging on your wall instead of posted somewhere in the labyrinth of the internet, likes and comments become irrelevant and the true story of the experience shines through.

Fun fact, printing and framing pictures is also a super easy and cost-effective gift for birthdays and other special occasions. Pick a favorite moment that you shared with someone and spend that twenty cents to print it out. There are plenty of stores with affordable frames and if you buy a plain one you can just decorate it.

Don’t be afraid to pause and take the three seconds you need to take a picture amidst happy times. Who knows? That beach picture framed on your desk could keep you smiling for months to come.