In the world that we live in today, social media is king. You probably have acquainteces who are one person online and another in real life (IRL). We've all heard the statistics: how social media can cause anxiety, depression and ironically make us less social, yet most of us start and end our day by checking Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. We scroll through highlight reels of people we know or don't know and end up feeling inadequate. Before you deactivate or delete your accounts, I think it's only fair to look at all of the benefits that social media provides. I'm more connected with my extended family that lives in South Carolina because I see what they are up to through Facebook posts. My Instagram has turned into my side hustle since I make a small commission when you purchase what I link throughout my blog posts and Instagram photos. Do we crave the constancy that social media gives us? At a time when almost everything about ourselves is changing as the world does, the validation of having a false, consistent self to fall back on gives us an escape. Walking the line of posting for yourself or posting for others can be difficult to do.
The ongoing pressure to "be ourselves" on social media begs the question, how do we do it? I think it starts by changing our perspective.
College was my time to learn, make friends with people, and to develop into who I want to be. I think social media enable us to do the same things. We have a whole world of information and contacts at our fingertips. I want my social presence to make me and those around me kinder, smarter, and more experienced. Until we change our mentality towards our online profiles and identity, our true reality will suffer.
So go forth and post and share, and remember to do it in a way that benefits you and those around you. True fulfillment comes from shifting our focus from likes to helping someone with what you say or do.
-mms