With a click of a button a you can add friends and drop friends. In two, search for almost anyone. In 140 characters, a vast audience can read your emotions and in one picture, have a glimpse into your life. Relationships are commonly made through screens instead of face to face. Video chat is more convenient than going out and direct messaging is simpler than written letters. It’s easier to make eye contact with a screen than it is to make eye contact with your own family and “luv u” is supposed to mean the same thing as “I love you.” Isn’t that crazy to think about?

With the advantages of the number of social media sites there are, comes the numerous disadvantages. Social media can be more dangerous than we think. We look for validation online because we believe that the real world cannot offer what we are looking for and we compare ourselves to men and women who have a seemingly perfect life as projected through their accounts. Often times we feel our value is associated with the number of “likes” received on a status or picture. It’s even so captivating that an hour on Facebook, Twitter, or Snapchat can feel like 10 minutes. Reality now lies behind 5 inch screen.

Although it may seem like it, the Instagram stars that you follow do not have perfect lives. Less than 100 “likes” does not mean you are unpopular or unloved and your self-worth should not be determined by the amount of followers that you have. Believe me when I say that your opinion is more important spoken to another human being than online. Twitter isn’t the only place that people will listen to your feelings, I guarantee there are people who want to hear from you. You are more beautiful in person than your profile picture on Instagram and incredibly more unique than your Twitter bio makes of you.

I enjoy getting to connect with family on Facebook and looking at friends’ posts on Instagram just as much as the next person so I’m not suggesting to quit social media all together but rather to be aware of its dangers. Spend some time outside, take your friend on a coffee date, or even send some snail mail once in a while. Smile at anyone you walk by and make a conscious effort to ask how your friend’s day was. The real world deserves to know you better than the virtual one!