With today’s ever growing dependence on technology, social media has gained quick momentum, dominating various aspects of our hectic college lives. Whether it serves as an escape from the reality of our schoolwork or as a medium to communicate, there is no denying the heavy influence that lies within social media, especially when dealing with new relationships or steady hookups. “Should I add him on Snapchat?” “Would Instagramming this picture of us send the wrong message?” “Is it too creepy if I Facebook message him?” All of these questions, whether we want to admit it or not, have crossed our minds when dealing with a boy we like. We don’t want to seem too desperate too soon, but, at the same time, we secretly want our 500 Instagram followers to know how cute the two of us look with a Nashville filter. Here are some tips on how not to be that girl on social media because, let’s face it, we don’t want to scare the cute Nashville-filtered boy away.
1) Don’t “like” all of his pictures: Aw, his profile pic with his mom is so cute. But so is that picture with his dog! Wow that status is just too relatable right now. Like. Like. Like. STOP. Liking a picture or “favorite-ing” a tweet every once in a while is fine. It’ll put you on his radar and let him know you’re thinking about him…but before you get all click happy, make sure you’re not coming off as too aggressive, especially if the two of you are still trying to figure out your relationship. It’s tempting, yes, but you will be much happier in the long run if you go a little more under the radar.
2) Take it easy with pictures of the two of you on Instagram: Different people have different preferences when starting a new relationship, but if you are just in the beginning stages of hooking up with someone (or if you have a sense of whether he’s into “going public” with you) be careful about how many pictures you upload to Instagram and/or Facebook. Although you might really like someone and want to show everyone your happy, cloud 9 bliss…your boy toy might not be so keen on the idea right away. After all, once a couple-y pic of the two of you shows up on Facebook, you might as well be dating!
3) Posting personal messages on his Facebook wall: Just don’t do it. No one wants to see your sappy love messages and smiley faces via Facebook. Text him if you have something personal to say. TRUST ME!
4) Snapchat: Personally, I’m a fan of snapchatting. It’s easy, fun, and more entertaining than texting. BUT only snap him if he reciprocates your snaps…because if he stops responding to your semi-attractive selfies…then it just gets a little weird.
5) Be careful what you post: One of the most important things to remember when posting anything online is that once it’s out there, it stays there. Don’t drunk tweet about that hot guy who just walked into the bar if you want to get serious with your new man. Whether he’s an avid social media junkie or not, he’ll hear about your tweets, Facebook posts, and snap stories fairly quickly (guys and their friends talk a lot) so be careful what you post because no one wants to date the girl who was caught on camera doing a keg stand in a mini skirt!