Lemme tell you something. I post on my Snapchat story a lot. Like it’s probably not considered a healthy amount, but it’s fine.
Some of my posts are from when I’m feeling extra cute:
Or just extra:
But as has been pointed out to me multiple times by multiple people, my Snapchat story is mostly of me stressing out and eating ice cream:
What can I say, I haven’t found a healthy way to cope with stress that’s not stuffing my face with Ben & Jerry’s.
Why do I post so much on Snapchat? Well, it’s partly because some people actually find some of my posts funny for some reason, and I like posting content that others find funny or relatable. But it’s also because I tend to use my Snapchat as a coping mechanism for stress. School is very stressful, and while I may not be very chatty in-person, I have no qualms over posting about myself to no one in particular.
I’ve always semi-joked that I should find healthier ways to deal with my stress that aren’t me screaming into the void, but I mean, I haven’t had any real motivation to stop posting. A couple weeks ago, I had no inspiration for an article to post, so I decided to see what happens when I stopped posting 90% of my life on Snapchat. And, before I go into how this week went for me, I’m taking a moment to plug my Snapchat: my username is @lexi_aar (unless Snapchat ever updates so that people can change their usernames).
Day One:
Well, my morning was super stressful because I was trying to deal with my housing for next year. I wasn’t feeling a yearning to post on Snapchat so much, probably mostly because my mom decided to call me right when I got back to my dorm in the morning, and I ended up having a breakdown (not the way I wanted to spend my morning, but there you go). I was aware of not being able to post when I read or saw something funny, and when I got back to my room after Her Campus’s Night of Comedy and thought I looked cute (I did end up snapping a pic to two of my besties from back home though). And I was definitely wishing I could vent about my marketing homework I still had to do before 8:30 a.m. the next day. On this day, I was also trying to figure out what rules I would set up for myself on my Instagram, since I check that platform recently, too, and I was trying to decide if posting on there instead of Snapchat was cheating.
Day Two:
Periodically, I would remember that I couldn’t post on Snapchat at all for the next few days, and then I would go check to make sure I didn’t post and block it from my memory or something. I was definitely sending a lot more direct snaps, but other than that, I was keeping with my goal. In all honesty, the only reason I really wished I was able to post on Snapchat was that I heard someone playing drums at one point, and I just wanted to know if anyone else heard them, or if someone could tell me where it was coming from. I did enjoy listening to whoever was practicing, though!
Day Three:
So on this day I had a little crisis unrelated to my Snapchat, and at the time, I kind of wished I could’ve vaguely posted on my story about it. I snapped a few of my close friends to vent some of my feelings a little, but it was hard to find the release of emotions I wanted. When I’m posting on my story, I’m just putting myself out there and letting things go without the expectation of a response. When I’m messaging someone directly, I want a response, and I crave an instant response, but, of course, I know I can’t expect that because people actually have lives. Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful for the support system I do have and the people that I know I can talk to directly, but when I’m going through something, I don’t exactly feel like being patient.
Day Four:
I’ve noticed that I’m watching more of people’s stories since I’m not going on Snapchat just to post about me. I usually use the app to let something out, see what a few close friends are up to, and then leave. Now that I was clicking on the app, I actually took the time to see what was up with people I hadn’t checked in on in awhile.
Day Five:
This was the day I remembered how many other ways there are to procrastinate besides playing with whatever face filters are available on Snapchat. What can I say, sometimes I like to explore beyond my boundaries.
Day Six:
By today, I was pretty used to not being on the app. I feel like by the time I get back on, I might be saturating my feed less.
Day Seven:
I’m honestly surprised with how much easier this was than I thought it would be. Before I started the week, I was convinced I wouldn’t be able to get through this without posting on my Instagram every day or having a breakdown. And yes, I did directly snap my friends probably a little more often than usual, but I don’t think that was necessarily a bad thing; I opened myself up to having more direct communication with people rather than just throwing thoughts into the oblivion. All in all, I’m glad I did this because it allowed me to realize I don’t need this outlet as much as I thought I did, and this app isn’t a crutch I need to rely on.
But of course, the next day, after I turned in my take-home exam in the afternoon I finally celebrated by posting on my story:
Back to sharing my derpy self with everyone who didn’t asking for it!