“You didn’t post a Snapchat story last night, is everything okay? Please text me ASAP when you see this!”
I let out a small sigh and rolled my eyes as I jokingly responded, “I didn’t make a Snapchat story, what a complete and utter tragedy!”
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Before jumping to any conclusions, let me first begin by explaining myself.
By no means am I that person who is about to tell you why modern technology is ruining our society and how we should go back to writing letters as a means of communication. As much as I love my monogrammed “Amanda Paige” stationery that I begged my mom to get me for my Bat Mitzvah thank-you notes, I most definitely do not need to use them everyday. I am also not that person who will refer to an iPhone as a “device” or will ask you when you are texting someone, “Who are you emailing so much?”
I understand the complete need for everything a cell phone offers. I myself have an iPhone fully equipped with all completely necessary apps including Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, and of course the “who unfollowed you on Instagram app” that never fails to make me question: are my Instagrams really THAT bothersome?! With Thanksgiving just a few days ago, I feel it necessary to give a special shoutout to something I am definitely grateful for: the pretty butterfly Snapchat filter. Seriously, that filter can turn any so-so morning selfie into a work of art (don’t pretend like you don’t appreciate this filter too, no shame!) But really, I use my phone pretty frequently and really do love it.
So now let me go back to the short conversation I mentioned in the beginning when I transgressed one of the basic commandments of technology: always document your night. We all have that one friend who’s phone is dead 99% of the time or will respond to a group chat one-hundred texts later saying: “wait, just saw this, so what’s going on?” Based on my friends’ constant remarks about my phone use, I think it is fair to say that I have become that girl. I am so not that person who will upload a million pictures to Facebook after a night out; I don’t even have a freshman album! No exaggeration, I think I have a total of ten pictures from the school year that I took on my own phone. Sometimes, I will purposefully leave my phone in my dorm just so I don’t have to be bothered by it. For anyone who has not tried that before, I seriously recommend it.
Pictures are fun, and I totally get that people like to have memories.
But what I’ve begun to realize over the past few months is that the best memories are the ones that aren’t documented. How can you be having an amazing time if you are constantly looking at the night through your Snapchat camera? I know that Molly Ringwald in Sixteen Candles and Cher in Clueless somehow managed to have fun, hilarious, and unforgettable experiences without even having the option to post them on social media. My point to you is this: be present and experience moments with your own eyes. An unabashedly fun girls night, a heartwarming conversation with your sister and most definitely a late-night dorm dance party can’t possibly be photographed. I’m too engaged in the moment to worry about taking cute candids, finding the perfect lighting, or which side is my “better side”. That’s what makes these experiences so authentic and natural.
Putting the phone down and soaking in the surroundings is not for the faint-hearted. As social beings, we want to share our experiences with others. We want our parents to know that college is a blast. We want our classmates to think we’re “cool” with a zillion friends we just made at school. But does being “cool” really mean having an Instagram with the perfect edit and caption? If someone is going to determine whether they want to be your friend based on your Instagram feed, then you probably don’t need them in your life. Ask yourself, what’s the point of all of this sharing? In my opinion, we’re giving away our most personal precious moments, and frankly, they are losing their magic.
If you find yourself getting caught up in all the madness of social media, take a detox. There is nothing wrong in going a night without taking a picture, trust me; you will have hundreds of other opportunities. That Snapchat story is gone in 24 hours, but the memory is with you forever. Take your pick.
