Just when I thought social media couldn’t be more ludicrous, Instagram brought around a new type of handle that’s taking over your feed. “Finsta”, or Fake Insta, is a separate account from your “Rinsta” (Real Insta) in which you can post things you would not normally post on your Instagram. Most Finstas are relatively secret and only to be followed by the user’s closest friends. Most people utilize the “private” setting to avoid having people (like parents and future employers) see Finsta posts, as most tend to be embarrassing beyond a close group of friends’ eyes. If you happen to be privileged enough to follow someone’s Finsta, you may find:
Party Photos/Videos
This is the most common Finsta post I find while scrolling through my Instagram feed. Most of the time, these photos contain a multitude of regrets from the night before and are amusing for others to look back at and giggle. It’s also an indication to your friends back home that you are indeed a “crazy college student,” and you “get lit” as often as they do. Party posts often feel like a competition on the weekends of who had the craziest evening the night before.
Rants
This is one of the only places on social media where it’s MOSTLY okay to rant about your bad day or about the girl in your class that cannot stop shaking her leg during EVERY exam. The implied Finsta code is the strict “no screenshot” policy, and that what goes on Finsta stays on Finsta, therefore your rants are ninety percent safe. However, letting too many people follow your Finsta may result in a possible screenshot. My piece of advice: proceed with caution, Finsta users.
Food Pictures
There is nothing I love more than a superior food picture. However, in fear that I would mess up my Rinsta aesthetic, I often have to settle for a Finsta food post. That way, all of my closest friends can admire the delicious pizza I am about to devour with no fear of an unaesthetically pleasing photo.
Selfies
As an avid selfie-taker, I often find it frustrating when I cannot post a fire selfie on my Rinsta because I previously posted three in a row. I also turn to Finsta to post my selfies that may be a little too risqué for Rinsta. All of my friends still comment the fire emoji either way, so it is a win-win!
Uglies
Contradictory to saucy selfies, I often will take a photo that is far too ugly to not share with a select group of people to Finsta. My Finsta has seen too many double chin, crying, and ugly, self-made memes and selfies that leave me in tears for days. Thank you Finsta for providing me an outlet of social media in which I can embrace my ugly in public.