A trend has been popping up on Instagram suggested follows. Perhaps you've noticed the occasional account that has your friend's or classmate's face with a ridiculous handle. It's completely private with little explanation in the bio, except the possible word "finsta." A "finsta," short for "Finstagram," is a fake account for you to be your real self. No filters, no artistic angles, just raw everyday life. It's totally private so only your closest friends will have the privilege of viewing your finsta-self. According to some bloggers and finsta advocates, the finsta is a judgement free zone where you won't be self-conscious of your number of followers or likes per post. The emphasis of a finsta is the real you. After viewing some of my friend's accounts and reading the various literature on this Insta-phenomenon, I decided to dive awful-selfie first into the finsta realm. The following is what I learned while engaging in this two and a half week long social experiment.
*All finstas mentioned are left purposely ambiguous to ensure privacy according to the finsta code*
1. There are many types of finstas.
I used my account as a source of self-deprecating humor and to live-update my misadventures for my loyal 30 followers. However, some accounts use their finsta as a blog, a catalog of reality, or selfie-storage. No two finstas are alike.
2. People will still find you, even if you don't want to be found.
I have a queue of accounts that requested to follow me, and it might be because my handle is not at all cryptic (it's literally just my name broken down), but what surprised me was some of these accounts don't even follow my real account. A finsta is a place for you to get real, and I guess some people would rather see a picture of you ungracefully falling as you're in the motion of sitting than your pretty landscape pics on your rinsta. Go figure.
3. A finsta is a place for selfies, and it feels pretty great.
I am not a big selfie-poster on my rinsta. It just isn't my speed. However, the majority of posts on my finsta are selfies. Granted the majority of those posts are au natural (I even posted a mid-workout selfie), but I did post one with make up and I got to say, it feels pretty nice to celebrate my face with no worries. On my finsta, my selfie simply exists and is surprisingly a beacon of self-love.
4. Finstas are not a new concept.
During my mini-investigation through Finstagram, I noticed some accounts have existed for years while others have popped up in the last month. It's not uncommon for one to have an account open to public/a wider range of followers and a more personal, private account. Referring back to lesson 1, that second account doesn't have to be filled with the most ridiculous selfies.
5. Blurry/low quality pics are A-OK.
A finsta does not emphasize high quality posts or supreme editing skills. It's an outlet for the user to document his or her moment with a photo attached. In that regard, some finstas will resemble a visual journal that might be more personal than the user's rinsta. So go ahead, post your zoomed-in-pixelly photo of dog you saw across the street; its time that your finsta followers see it.
6. You might use your finsta more than your rinsta.
I neglected my rinsta for a solid week after creating my Instagram alter-ego because I was excited to keep my loyal followers updated on my mundane winter break routines. In that sense, my finsta started to feel like a rinsta with zero filters. Does that mean a finsta might some day evolve into an official account? That's still up for debate, but I'm going to predict doubtful.
Final verdict
The paradoxical finsta, a fake place to be real, is a fun trend to pick up and then easily drop with a click of the "delete account" button. In my own experience, I didn't find my finsta as "freeing" as others claim it should be. Maybe it's because I don't feel the strains and pressure of Instagram in my rinsta. In reality, it's likely due to the fact that the content in my finsta is what I would typically Snapchat or text to the same people who follow me: unflattering selfies, ridiculous life updates, and screenshots of songs to listen to off Spotify. However, if someone does see a rinsta's emphasis on followers and likes, I can see how one might genuinely let their true colors shine in a finsta. It's like a social media cleanse without totally abandoning your favorite app.
