The technological era of social media is upon us, striking in full force and roping us into false narratives, clouded lenses, and a potentially negative outlook. As younger users of these platforms, we are so blindly exposed to the harm that these sites can cause, and many of us have relied on these sites since we were middle schoolers. I know I created my first Instagram page when I was in fifth grade… The math points towards over ten years of scrolling through photos and building expectations of myself that most people older than me never would have resorted to in their own childhoods.We were arguably a different generation of teens and pre-teens being shaped and raised by our second guardians: the Internet.
We find that it’s becoming harder and harder to stop the constant navigation through apps. Start with Instagram, then to Facebook, next to Twitter or X, then TikTok… until we’ve scoured over each app’s contents and can restart the process again, continuing the endless cycle of scrolling and swiping through the new content generated after each refresh.
As much as I am an advocate for technology-free time, I find that it’s not always easy to log off for a few hours a day, especially when so much of my day consists of doing schoolwork online and getting in the socialization that I lack while I spend hours alone in my apartment. But one thing that does boost my mood while being online is one social media platform that is actually centered around positivity and creativity: Lemon8.
You’ve probably heard of (or at least seen ads for) this platform online, specifically on TikTok. I was constantly having sponsored videos from this app show up on my TikTok for-you page and usually, I would scroll past without thinking anything of it; in fact, I didn’t even realize it was a social media platform that I could engage with. I saw it as another annoying, sponsored video that was butting its way into my flow of scrolling. But the day I decided to give in and download Lemon8 was actually the day that I found my secret, little happy place.
I immediately dove into a community of positivity, support, appreciation, creativity, and love. I was welcome to share my interests and find new friends who shared those same interests. I didn’t have to worry about what I looked like because the point of the app is not for posting selfies and getting up close and personal, but instead, to share new experiences, activities, hobbies, and thoughts. It is essentially a platform to talk about the things that make you you, instead of showing everyone a bland, perfected image of the person you want them to think you are. And I love it.
On my account, I make posts about traveling, reading, baking, gardening, shopping and thrifting finds, and my lifestyle in general. I see it as a way to express myself in a safe, cozy environment, while also encouraging a healthy mindset and supporting my fellow creators/followers. I don’t have to worry about the outfit I’m wearing or the way my hair looks; pictures of myself rarely even show up in my posts.
I also really appreciate how it’s such a small platform. A lot of people don’t actually know what Lemon8 is, and to be honest, I’m grateful for that. I don’t personally know anyone on that platform; it’s not full of kids from my hometown who are only there to be nosy. It even reminds me of Her Campus; how it’s mainly a woman-driven platform fueled by our interests and lifestyles and thriving on positivity, safety, and creativity.
If social media has been draining everything out of you lately, but you can’t tear yourself away from the screen, then I highly encourage you to check out something new, different, and positive, like Lemon8. Have fun with social media instead of indulging in all the negativity and nonsense that people spew all over those other apps. Sure, too much of something can be a bad thing, but they never said you couldn’t improve that thing to be more beneficial.