Lily Huynh/The Cougar
Gen Z is known as the digital generation. We were raised with rapid technological advancements and are still seeing them take over today. With easy access to smartphones and evolving social media platforms, Gen Z knows how to navigate the internet and its trends.
One of those trends, having an Instagram feed that is a carefully curated, aesthetic collection of photos of someone’s life is increasingly popular. Sure the trend seems cute and a little crafty, but it gets to a point where some people are making plans just to take photos. It makes people question if this fun life being presented is authentic or just a curated fantasy.
For those of this generation in college, these trends can be seen everywhere. While social media has been a tool to network and make friends, the perfect feed has made the college experience feel performative rather than authentic. Are people living the supposed best years of their lives, or are they showing up for 20 minutes to snap a picture for their feed?
Living for the camera
Big school events such as football games are a prime example of this. Game day culture is one of the most exciting things about college. Everyone getting together for tailgates, the football game and an overall good time is truly electrifying.
The photos that show students lined up in the stands or grouped in a tailgate tent represent this lively event. That fun could have been short-lived though because it was a perfectly planned photo session.
It is understandable that people want to put together cute outfits and take pictures in their school colors. There is nothing wrong with documenting memories. The problem is when the photo becomes the purpose of the event.
Some students arrive, take a few pictures and leave before the game has really begun, missing the traditions, excitement and community that make college football memorable in the first place.
These behaviors take away from the authentic so-called college experience. Social media has turned it into a competition to see whose experience seems more fun and interesting. But that experience loses some of its authenticity when it’s measured by likes and views instead of how much fun someone actually had.
Not everything has to be programmed and shared on social media. There is nothing wrong with taking pictures of adventures to capture memories. But what memories are we creating if every moment is planned around how it will look online?
Living in the moment
These practices are making our college lives feel more curated than authentic. The last thing students should worry about is if their feed looks exciting to their followers. It should be about if they themselves are having fun at the moment.
Everyone measures life differently. It could be through moments with others, stories or small everyday moments. It could also be through photos. These photos should have some type of memory to them. Staging moments does not make life more meaningful.
College is an exhilarating life chapter. It is full of unforgettable moments that shouldn’t be taken for granted. Rather than focusing on getting the perfect photo, every moment should be filled with full presence. How else would one get the full college experience?
Opinion@thedailycougar.com
