The Dangers of Summer Scrolling

Every morning I open my phone up to what feels like an infinite number of boomerangs of unicorn floats in glistening Hamptons pools, picture perfect European vistas and pastas, and colorful drinks clinking together in front of city skylines. These intricate stories are paired with countless staged bikini pics on impeccable Instagram feeds. We live in a world where we constantly want people to know where we are, who we are with, and what we are doing. And we want all of these things to portray our lives in a way that is appealing to our followers. Social media allows and encourages this constant stream of sharing our personal experiences.

There are aspects of this that are amazing for our society. We can keep in touch with people from all over the world, find inspiration from famous athletes, actors, bloggers, etc., and have a platform to share our passions and interests. But lately, especially in the summer time, I have noticed so many negative elements of social media that can be detrimental to our young brains.

Many of us start our days by scrolling and tapping through our Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, etc. feeds, immediately filling our minds with the activities of others before we’ve even eaten breakfast. As the day goes on, we continue this mindless scrolling and tapping many more times. When you really think about it, we spend multiple hours a day focused on where other people are, who they are with, and what they are doing. Inevitably, this can cause us to constantly compare our lives to the internet versions of the lives of the people we follow. And who can blame us? When our feeds are filled with Gigi Hadid’s perfect bikini bod in Mykonos and our sorority sisters’ luxurious vacations all around the world, it can be hard not to look at our own lives and feel somewhat discouraged. Every single time we refresh our phones, there is a new post that can induce these self-deprecating feelings, but it is so important to remember that these pictures are not necessarily an indication of what all of these people’s real lives are like. Anyone can plaster on a fake laughing face and a pair of trendy sunglasses to mask whatever inner struggles they are experiencing. Never use somebody else’s Instagram page as a way to evaluate yourself.

Even more harmful than the continuous comparison that comes along with social media, is the tendency to not be present in the moment due to fact that we have to “share it” with everyone we know. I find this to be hard not to get caught up in. Every single time I order an insta-worthy meal, see an artsy graphic wall, or feel cute enough for a selfie, I always have the urge to take my phone out and snap a pic. This is almost an ingrained urge in the millennial generation and quite frankly, it makes me sad. Whenever I find myself trying to get the perfect lighting on a picture of the sunset, I look into my camera and realize that the picture I take could never compare to the beauty that I am seeing in front of me. So why can’t I just enjoy the moment and not share it with anyone but myself? This is a challenging question of our generation. I think we could all spend some time trying to understand that all of these pictures, these posts, these likes, mean nothing in the grand scheme of things.

I’ve been the girl in the bikini pic, asking my mom to take 100 different angles just to get the perfect shot. I’ve been the girl tracking her likes, waiting to see who comments next on my photo. And I probably will be this girl many more times in my life. But, as I get older, I’m starting to realize that whenever I get caught up in these moments, these tiny, artificial boosts of approval, that I’m not representing the person I truly am and the person I truly want to be. Although screens dominate our day to day life, we can all admit that our most genuinely happy memories are those not spent on or behind a device, but those spent doing REAL things with REAL people that we love.

Now I hate to be that basic girl that quotes Drake, but one of the lines in his newest singles really resonated with me. He says:

“I know a girl whose one goal was to visit Rome

Then she finally got to Rome

And all she did was post pictures for people at home

‘Cause all that mattered

Was impressing everybody she’s known.”

Unfortunately, this line accurately describes a large portion of our generation. I’m sure we can all relate. Let’s face it; who doesn’t want to use the Rome geotag when they’re in Rome. As we continue our journeys into adulthood surrounded by the intense presence of social media, we have to remember that Instagram and Snapchat only represent a few minutes in somebody’s life. Rather than focusing on these few minutes, focus on the moment you are in and enjoy the beautiful world outside the one on your phone.