Nowadays all people think about is social media. If you go on a date and don't post it on Instagram... it's almost like the date never happened. Or if you go to a concert and don't post multiple videos from it on your Snapchat... did you even go?
It seems like within the past few years, almost everything has begun to revolve around social media. And to be honest, I'm not sure if I like it. Of course, I post on Instagram just as much as the next person, but I often find myself getting frustrated with it. I get mad when I don't get "enough" likes. I get anxious when I think I did a poor editing job. And, mostly, I get annoyed when I see someone else's Instagram page and think that their pictures look "cooler" than mine do. Whenever this happens, I immediately get the urge to delete my account and start all over so that it looks more put together and follows more of a theme. I know... I'm laughing too right now. How ridiculous!?
I admit, there have been a handful of times when I think that my Instagram page doesn't look "up-to-par". But why am I thinking this way? What does Instagram have to do with me as a person? And why do I feel the need to upload every picture I take to my college Facebook album?
Unfortunately, I think that our society now looks at social media as a way to judge someone. If someone at college isn't posting any pictures of them out at parties or hanging with friends, we automatically assume that they're not having fun or they don't have any friends. But this totally isn't true. Whether you decide to share your life online or not, whether you get 20 likes on a picture or 20,000, and whether you're artsy or not should not define who you are and the kind of life that you live.
I love capturing moments and having photos to look back on but there's a difference between capturing moments for pleasure and trying to take the perfect photo for Instagram or taking a video to display on Snapchat just so people can see what you're up to.
We strive to be accepted by others and with every "like", it's like getting a pat on the back. We like to be "liked". It gives us confidence and makes us feel accepted by our 500 Instagram followers or 1,700 Facebook friends.
All of a sudden, there's this thing called FOMO... and it really shouldn't be a thing. We shouldn't be upset that we're missing out on an event just because it's all over social media. And, on the flip side, we shouldn't feel obligated to be displaying that event on every possible social media app.
We need to take a step back and realize how much social media doesn't define us. It's time to stop being judged for how many likes we get on a picture or how artsy we can be. Use your social media to share fun moments with your friends and family.
