The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com Wednesday, August 31, 2022 — 15A MISHAL CHARANIA Summer Audience Engagement Managing Editor “What’s your snap?” At this point in the conversation, I have been talking to this stranger for maybe two minutes and said a maximum of three sentences. Especially on the first day of class, “what’s your snap” tends to be one of the first things you are asked about yourself. Where you sit on day one tends to be where you stay, and the person or people next to you are going to be your besties in that class for the rest of the semester. Even if you never see them again after your last final, you will probably stay on their snap or Instagram follow- ing list, and maybe even in their LinkedIn connections, for who knows how long. Meeting as many people as possible in as many ways as possible is extremely important in college, but it can also lead you to question the college experience you personally are having. Coming out of the pandemic, meeting other incoming U-M stu- dents started, for me, on Instagram with the @umich2025 page. It kept Designs by Serena Shen Audience Engagement Remembering reality: social media in college all of us updated on who would be in our classes, who our prospective roommate might be and who could be our potential new best friends. As soon as I read about someone who shared my interests in music, hob- bies or even where we are from, I would send them a dm, or vice versa. Because of that page, as well as other UMich 2025 social media accounts, I made my first close friends here. For example, an Instagram friend and I visited a few Ann Arbor book- stores because we discovered we both love to read. She and I contin- ue to talk and meet up, all because of our first Instagram interac- tions. However, this also meant that everyone was following liter- ally everyone else, and once school started, my feed was cluttered with photos of new relationships, frat basements and night-outs in down- town Ann Arbor among others. I was glad people were having fun, but the first days also came with mental breakdowns, stress and feel- ings of self-consciousness that were not conveyed over social media. As someone who lived at home for my entire first year of college, comparing my experience to others was a constant. Although I do not regret the way I spent my first year, I was in a tangle watching others live out things I could not personally do. It got to the point where a month or two in, after seeing post after post of people having fun when I was miserable, I deleted Instagram off my phone and tried to focus on what I was doing. When I felt ready, I started unfollowing people that I had never talked to or had a con- nection with, not only to declutter my feed but also my head. I immedi- ately felt like a weight was lifted off of me, and in the coming weeks, I started appreciating my own expe- rience more. Decluttering my feed re-energized me to focus on the experiences I truly wanted to have, not just the ones I saw. Reflecting on what you have and realizing what you want to see and feel on a daily basis will help you determine goals and ways to achieve them. On the other side of this, Linke- dIn has become a place where opportunities abound and the pres- sure is continuously applied. Linke- dIn is the Instagram for showcasing “amazing” and “inspiring” careers. It is so great to see people from high school and college being promoted or receiving different job opportu- nities but it also fosters competition From left, Maya Rodemer, Kate Liang, Gabriel Cortez, Caleb Green, and Reem Fawaz #2 Best Public School of Public Health in the US @umichsph STARTS WITH YOU A HEALTHIER WORLD In my experience, what is being shown is almost never the whole story. Being fake on social media is easy, but recognizing and enjoying reality is something that we should all aspire to. and feelings of inadequacy. Because we are taught that the University hosts the Leaders and the Best even before we arrive, we might feel the need to come in with our own busi- ness, three years of “relevant” work experience or at least a five-year plan. In reality, with every new post, there were probably 100 peo- ple who did not get the opportunity. LinkedIn tends to be a place where only success is heralded, not show- casing the reality of such a competi- tive market. Post about your success because LinkedIn is used by future employers, but don’t compare what you do to the success of others. I will admit that I, and probably everyone, has fallen into the trap of toxic social media. All of my posts are extremely curated, particularly when it comes to school. I have yet to post a picture of myself having a mental breakdown, even though it feels like a quarter of the experi- ence. I love showing pictures that make me happy, while trying to make it clear that this probably is not the whole picture. For me, every good photo comes with fifty “bad” ones. Defining what this looks like for you is never easy, but it can and should be done to have a healthy relationship with social media, as well as yourself. Social media is a double-edged sword. As college students, it is pretty hard to avoid it entirely. By recognizing how fake and toxic it can be, and by detaching yourself from what is being portrayed, you can better have the experience you truly want. Cherish your memories, and use social media the way that you want to. It is okay, and some- times more than necessary, to take a break, whether it is from social media or in another area of your life. I am here to tell you that when someone asks you what you plan on doing this summer or if you are going to grad school, it is okay to laugh and say “Who knows.” Espe- cially as a freshman, but even if you are a senior, take time to find things you like and figure out the things you don’t. I am proud of whatever you choose to do, and of course, I encourage you to push yourself in areas where you feel ready to do so. In my experience, what is being shown is almost never the whole story. Being fake on social media is easy, but recognizing and enjoying reality is something that we should all aspire to. From left, Maya Rodemer, Kate Liang, Gabriel Cortez, Caleb Green, and Reem Fawaz #2 Best Public School of Public Health in the US @umichsph STARTS WITH YOU A HEALTHIER WORLD From left, Maya Rodemer, Kate Liang, Gabriel Cortez, Caleb Green, and Reem Fawaz #2 Best Public School of Public Health in the US @umichsph STARTS WITH YOU A HEALTHIER WORLD