I love-hate my love-hate relationships. And, not to brag or anything, but I have a lot of them.
Fingernails, shopping, road trips, booze... I mean, there's really a lot to love-hate about all these things.
However, the biggest love-hate relationship I have is with social media.
I'm a fan of the Gram. I am twitterpated with Twitter. I can't help myself!!!
The "hate" part of my relationship with social media stems from the "train wreck" quality of it all. It's so bad, but I cannot seem to look away. Before I know it, I've emptied half my battery and two hours of my time looking through one of my friend's old Tweets or through the photos of some random hashtag category on the Gram. Then I spiral into a guilt-fueled depression as I think of all the things I could have done with that time.
I spend most of my day applying to jobs (seriously, will someone please hire me?!), but when I take a break to respond to a message, to read emails for my internship, or to check the time, I can't keep myself from seeing if there is anything new in my feed.
Since I have signed up for the Gram and the Twitter, my hobbies have really taken a hit as far as dedication goes. I don't read nearly as much as I used to, and I can physically feel my muscles atrophying by the second. I still make time for the other things I enjoy (such as reading), but my social media accounts definitely distract me from more mentally fulfilling pursuits.
This is where the "love" comes in, I guess. It's the immediacy that I like. I--like the rest of society--enjoy being entertained every second of the day. Whether my old schoolmates at Penn State are hating on their lengthy assignments, my friends from Texas are posting about life's milestones, or my buddy in West Virginia is making fun of everyone we know (I'm lookin' at you, Pru!), I like keeping up with what is going on with the people I am close with.
I wholeheartedly admit that I am an internet creep. I have never stalked someone with obsessive or aggressive intentions, but I just like seeing new things (and sometimes old things from the archives) and checking out what's going on with the people I care about.
What it boils down to is that I love being in the loop. I also love having a reason to share all my selfies, because I am obsessed with myself(ie). I think that, when used correctly, social media is a great platform to build relationships with other people and to feel validated about your own decisions. I like to make jokes, I like to uplift spirits, I like to upload pics of my dog. I am able to do all of these things (and more!) thanks to social media and the internet.
I don't think I'll ever ditch the Gram or the Twitter. (Facebook is a different story.) For as much as I believe that social media is glucose-dense brain candy that is going to give us so much mental diabetes, I can't help myself. I definitely know that I could kick it and be done with it all, but the thing is that I don't want to.
At the end of the day, social media is always going to be one of those things that I love to hate and hate to love.
If you are a member of the Twitterverse or Gramnation, follow me! I'd love your thoughts on older posts, and I'm definitely open to suggestions for things you'd like to hear me gripe about. :) Shoot me a Tweet or a DM and let me know you're a reader. And, of course, I'm all about that follow back life!
How Tweet of you! Shoot me a message on the Twitter @jesshank
You've double-tapped your way into my heart! Hit me up on the Gram @facechopp
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