Reflecting on Social Media : LJ1

After all my time on social media, I have definitely developed some do's and don'ts. I don't tag my location too often, I don't record every perfect moment for the sake of posting it and I don't believe everything I see. I do spend time away from social media and I do try to keep an environment that makes me feel good (ex. curating a following and feed that's good for me).

When I first started using social media, I used Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. This was the period of time where everyone was posting everything, no matter how simple (since social media was newer and exciting). Everything wasn't so heavily doctored or edited. So, I would post a random cup of coffee, selfies and tweet what I was doing. I used to always have a Snapchat story and record every funny or entertaining moment. I now use Instagram, Twitter and Tiktok.  I'm more thoughtful about pictures of myself or my life than I was as a preteen. This means I pay more attention to angles, lighting, poses etc. I've noticed this with others too. However, I don't document as much online as I used to. 

If I could go back, I would have only wished to hop on the YouTuber, Instagram Influencer, or Tiktoker train before it got too oversaturated (ex. starting a Youtube channel earlier).

I feel that social media is great in healthy doses and brings the world closer together. We all share slang that we use, we can all laugh over a viral meme and more. As for self-expression, it's great that there is a place for creatives to go. Social media has opened up non-traditional routes to success for those who aren't meant to fit the 9-5 lifestyle. People who don't feel heard in the real world can be seen. Selfies are another thing that is great in healthy doses since it takes away from a moment if you're always taking pictures. I'm impartial to online images, as long as it's not drastically different from who you actually are. 

The rules and criteria for posting has gotten stricter over time, especially on Facebook and Instagram. I remember during important times, posts and accounts would be deleted for speaking their mind or even mentioning the name. They rule posts as going against community guidelines even if they haven't. 

Comparing yourself to others is natural when being in a space where everyone is editing themselves to be perfect, and only showing the best parts of their life. It's something I still heavily struggle with, as it's hard to differentiate what's real when online. I wouldn't want to quit social media, as I do enjoy it in moderate doses. But, I think quitting social media can be good for your self-esteem, self-image, satisfaction in life and productivity. Having extra free time doesn't hurt either!