Make Insta Casual Again

THE NEW SOCIAL MEDIA TREND THAT CHAMPIONS BEING REAL ONLINE

Written by Mason Braasch, Staff Writer Photographed by Hannah Huber, Contributing Photographer Modeled by Kamryn Truesdale and Emily Herzog

We can all admit that social media is not a true representation of ourselves. Online, you can be the idealized version of yourself by curating your feed to make your life seem more beautiful or interesting to your followers and friends. Many people take pride in creating their online brand and see it as a form of self-expression. Still others may feel like this makes social media a competitive space where they have to keep up with trends and look happy all the time. When it comes to social media, where do we draw the line between creating an aesthetic that we love, and erasing our true selves?

Social media makes it easier than ever to compare ourselves to others. It is a constant stream of aesthetically pleasing photos, perfect bodies and glamorous lifestyles. Sure, it can be a place of empowerment for some, as many choose to use their social media to spread powerful messages and share photos that boost their self-esteem, but for some, it feels like a constant competition of who can make their life — and their pictures — look the best.

#MakeInstagramCasualAgain is a trend aimed at taking away some of the pressure of social media.1 Unfiltered and low-

1 “Insta Casual.” The Hourglass. Accessed January 31, 2021. https://www.hourglassnewspaper.com/insta-casual. quality photos, fun challenges, memes and photos that are more realistic to how we look, think and talk are welcomed. The need to make your feed fit a certain theme or color scheme is a thought of the past. This growing movement is the latest, and in my opinion, most beneficial trend to hit Instagram in a while.

Making your Instagram casual should be empowering and fun. I can remember a time when I would post silly pictures of my friends, funny quotes I had found online, and even, “Like for a TBH.” Make Instagram a place to share your unfiltered selfies, your newest concoction from the kitchen, and maybe even the times where you failed.

In order to bring the joy back to social media, we should lessen the pressure to be. Instead of posting photos that we think others will like, we need to focus on curating a feed that brings joy to ourselves. To start, think about what brings you joy beyond the screen, and focus on spending time with those people, places or things. If you happen to capture these happy moments in a picture, share it with others. The result will be a social media that reflects a happy life, not a so-called “perfect” one. ■

Instead of posting photos that we think others will like, we need to focus on curating a feed that brings joy to ourselves.