Social media is something most of us use in our daily lives. It has made it so much easier to connect with our friends and show the world what we’re up to in our day to day lives. Social media has really allowed people to “brand” themselves and create “their image.” It seems pretty cool on the outside… but once you take a closer look, social media comes with many downfalls.
Here are 8 things that social media has made me feel:
Fat
If there’s one thing social media has made me feel, it’s fat. There’s nothing more degrading than scrolling through instagram and seeing a ton of beautiful girls in bikinis on their perfect vacations with thousands of likes on every single one of their posts. Thanks to social media we are no longer allowed to be comfortable in our own skin. Somehow it seems that every other girl besides me has mastered photoshop or what angles or lighting works best to make them look like a model. I just don’t have enough time in the day to try to figure out what I can do to make myself look skinnier, so I usually just decide to not post the picture instead.
Insecure About Body Traits
It’s not even just weight. Social media has somehow made it seem like every girl has perfectly white teeth and perfectly tan skin. You have to have the right hairstyle and hair color to get the maximum amount of likes. You have to have the right color eyes that look big and stunning in every kind of lighting. Your eyelashes need to be dark, full and long. Your lips have to be plump. I mean come on, this is just not realistic – at least I didn’t think it was. It seems that every single post I scroll past features girls who meet all of these standards. Why does it seem like all girls are picture ready at any moment? Seeing this is honestly a real blow to my confidence and makes me want to hide under a rock for the rest of my life.
Self Conscious About Likes
This is one thing that I wish didn’t bother me as much as it does. Why should I care who likes my picture? Or how many people like my picture for that matter? If I finally build up the confidence to post the picture, it should be for me and nobody else. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Once I post a picture I find myself checking the amount of likes almost every single minute, and if it isn’t “up to par” I feel like I have to delete it. Sometimes I post a picture that I feel very confident in and it ends up only getting half the likes as the girl next to me, and my confidence goes out the window.
Unlovable
Even though I do have a boyfriend, the standard people set for relationships on social media is through the roof. I’m sorry that I can’t afford a three week vacation to the Dominican or a fancy dinner for every month anniversary. I thought we were all college kids living in debt? Again, here’s where I’m wrong apparently. To be quite honest, these pictures make me feel like my relationship sucks. Oh, and apparently the number of pictures you post with your significant other determines how much you love them. UGH.
Like a Failure
Is every other college girl slaying life besides me? Social media sure makes it seem that way. As I mentioned before, it seems like everyone is going on these elaborate vacations and looking like a 10/10 while doing so. I just don’t have the time or money. Is it just me, or does it seem like everyone is getting every job they apply for and also getting straight A’s every semester? Am I the only one who has had to deal with failure? Every other caption I see says “living my best life.” Oh, really? Because I just got a C on my last exam after pulling an all-nighter and I now officially have $3 to my name. When do I get to start living my best life?
Dependent
Sometimes I feel like my phone is almost like a security blanket. I can’t go anywhere without it, and I feel like I speak for a good majority of the population. Anytime I’m bored – phone. Anytime I’m in an awkward situation – phone. Trying to avoid conversation – phone. Like GODDAMN I hate the person I’ve become! Seriously sometimes I catch myself taking selfies or pictures and I just feel embarrassed. Why do I feel so inclined to post a picture anytime I go somewhere that could be considered “cool?” It’s almost as if I post these things to be like “look my life is so much better than yours.” Well let me let you in on a little secret – it’s probably not. I know there’s people who have it better than me and probably always will. If I’m happy and content with where I am now, why should I compare my life to others?
Anxious
Okay we all know the feeling of sitting there WAITING for your crush to like your picture that you basically posted for the sole purpose of them seeing it. Then it’s 10 minutes after you posted it and he hasn’t liked it and suddenly he probably hates you and you’re not pretty enough and you might as well go into hiding for the rest of your life. Well let me tell you, this anxious feeling does not stop once you get a boyfriend. Sure I’m not sitting around waiting for my crush to like my picture, but I sure as hell do sit there and wait for likes as well as watch who is liking it. I post a picture with a college friend and suddenly I’m concerned if my back-home friends are going to be upset or who is going to judge me or if anyone will comment on it. It’s like I’m sitting there begging for attention. Honestly this drives me insane and I’m sorry, but it seriously has got to stop.
Depressed
In all seriousness, it’s no wonder social media is linked to depression. I do joke about these things, but feeling these emotions every single time I pick up my phone is extremely exhausting. Nowadays it seems like everyone I’m surrounded by can say they have suffered some sort of mental health issue, and since it is so common people are not always taken seriously. But, try going through your teen years when social media is just becoming popular and tell me how you feel about yourself now. I truly do blame social media for the reason that I can say in all honesty that I do not like the way I look and do not feel confident being who I am. It’s crazy how four simple apps could make me go from loving myself and living in the moment to looking the other way every time I see a mirror. I am ashamed that I have let social media consume my life for as long as it has, and I am working on bettering this every single day.