When a person doesn’t have a social media presence, they only exist in-person. Nobody knows where they went on their most recent vacation, if they aced that math test, or where they celebrated their birthday, unless they brought it up in conversation. Gen Z is the first generation where one’s birth to their graduation can be captured on social media.
From their parents’ Facebook posts to their own on Instagram and Snapchat, a lot has changed since the days of AOL Instant Messenger, and nobody knows how to ride the wave of social media better than teenagers. Now, however, social media has grown to be quite relevant in teenage life. What does and doesn’t have value on an Instagram profile affects in-person situations.
FHS students are everywhere on social media. TikTok, Snapchat, Discord, Tumblr, the list goes on. The most popular platform, however, is Instagram. Every club at FHS has their own “Insta” page—including the FHS’s very own Wingspan—friends follow and like other friends’ posts, and someone uploads a cryptic note almost daily. The philosophy surrounding social media differs greatly at FHS, so there is also a great variety in how students curate a social media presence on Instagram. For some, it’s nothing more than a fun pastime; for others, it represents a deeper part of themselves.
“I’m pretty indifferent on how my profile looks to others,” senior Tania Chavez said. “I mostly like choosing what looks best, mainly for myself, since I realistically know that not many people will care enough to analyze it.”
The art of an Instagram post depends on what type of post it is. Some people post photo dumps–those taken in a specific place or over a period of time. These posts can range from five to 15 photos in a slideshow, much larger than posts for specific events that can only have two to four photos. The most important photo is the first one, which is the one that goes on your “grid” and is the photo people will see when scrolling through your profile. It exhibits your aesthetic to others without them ever having to click on a certain post.
“I usually just pick my favorite photo from the whole dump, or a photo that looks the most visually interesting,” Chavez said.
Only you control what you do and don’t post to your page, so it can become a direct reflection of your personality or your life. Posts on social media are mainly for others to see what a person is up to. But that doesn’t have to reflect reality.
“I think people’s social media accounts can be accurate to their personalities, but in most cases, they aren’t,” senior Jessica George said. “Most people tend to post only what they think others want to see, giving their social media a filter compared to their actual self.”
The most polarizing feature of Instagram is the “notes.” A maximum of 60 characters, notes are a status update that can be used to type something that everyone who follows you can see on their Messages tab, and can link songs you’re listening to on Spotify or Apple Music. A popular use of the notes feature is to air out any drama or feelings you have for someone in a cryptic message for your followers, and is often used to talk to someone without actually communicating in person or clearly.
“People need human interaction and socialization to function correctly, which you can’t get behind a screen,” sophomore Karma Lundy said. “Social media can also be a great tool if used correctly, such as finding a community that understands you.”
Your Instagram, especially when it is public, allows anyone who knows your username to see you. Some students choose to market themselves through social media. Swapping social media at parties or other social gatherings has become the norm for younger generations. It’s important to put what people want to know about you front and center.
“Things you put there are typically the base level things about you that you want people to know when they first look at your profile,” sophomore Finnley Shelly said. “Like the year you graduate, the school you go to, what sports or hobbies you’re into, etc.”
Instagram is an almost unavoidable topic for many teens, whether or not they use it. Portrayal of online and in-person interactions are now forever linked in some way, so learning how to use social media in a fun and safe way is necessary for posting. Social media will continue to evolve, and so will its usage by teenagers.
