In an age where one can become an influencer with a platform and podcast by simply saying “hawk tuah” into a microphone, it’s no surprise that it’s become regularized to document many aspects of your life on social media. 

People like to share their entire day from start to finish, whether it’s documenting everything they ate in a day at their office job or what hair/skincare products they like to use before they go to their morning class on campus. 

These videos get a lot of attention. Perhaps it’s nice for viewers to watch someone who seems to have their life figured out so they can feel better about their current situation, or worse. Or, for the content creator, it helps them to not feel so repetitive in their life by sharing it with others. 

In my opinion, it goes deeper than this. 

People are frantic for individuality. There’s a significant urge to feel seen, and gaining a following on a platform regardless of how big or small is conceivably one of the easiest and fastest ways to be seen by others. The more people who know you exist through seeing you on their screen, the more you as an individual exist in the virtual society where worth is measured by how many people liked your vacation photos. 

When at a concert, you need to record the entire thing and put it on your story so that others can see what a great time you had. Sitting down at a restaurant with friends, you need to take a video and put it on your story so that other people know you have a life. There’s just something about the validation of getting compliments and praise on a post that hits like no other. 

Humans existed long before the pressures that social media has brought, so why is it so important to us now? What could be missing in so many people’s lives that they feel the need to turn to social media for validation and attention? 

The loneliness epidemic in America is an ongoing issue. With so many people feeling disconnected from others and isolated in their communities, it’s no wonder why so many have turned to social media as a result. A survey conducted by Active Minds found that “approximately 1,100 U.S. college and university students found that nearly two-thirds (64.7%) of college students report they feel lonely, and the majority (51.7%) of college students are concerned about their friends’ mental health, and three in 10 (28.8%) college students report severe psychological distress.” 

Loneliness being present with college students especially makes young adults more likely to be the ones who turn to social media to try and fill that void.  

As I say all of this, I am not excluding myself from having a presence on social media. In fact, I regularly take pictures and videos of just about every event I go to no matter how big or small, and I post them on my social media because I too feel the pressure to make sure that other people know I have a life. 

Believe it or not, just because you haven’t documented that you went out with your friends and shared it with others online, it doesn’t mean that the hangout never happened. Just because you may have a significant following on a social media platform does not mean that you as a person don’t exist or matter without that following. Letting the world know everything about you all of the time is incredibly taxing. 

Since the start of 2025, I have been trying to become more present during interactions with friends, family, and fellow peers, especially at Rowan while I’m on campus. At family gatherings, I try to put the phone down. When hanging out with friends, I put the phone face down and forget about it. Not only has this led me to have more fulfilling relationships with others and make a lot of connections with other people that I haven’t before, but it has also increased my sense of confidence and mental clarity. 

Truly, there is a lot of peace in not sharing everything you’ve got going on with the world. You don’t have to monetize your life to be seen by others. Human interaction is crucial for both mental and physical well-being, and we all deserve to be seen eye to eye, not eye to screen. 

Next time you feel the need or pressure to monetize your life and thoughts on social media, I encourage you to put your phone down. You’ll be surprised at how much peace it could bring you to not have to worry about how you are perceived online by others.

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