My very own FaceSwap, for example.
Social Media has done taken over. This is a very obvious fact in today’s society. Now, communications, agreements, and arguments are instantly made. A person’s resume and Facebook profile are all fair game in an interview. And everybody’s story is important, whether it be about your dog’s third wedding, or your best friend’s first wedding. But out of all the social media outlets we have, Snapchat is the one that has provided the best mechanism to tell every story, small or large.
Snapchat is perfectly designed for the everyday story. Pictures seen in glimpses that can conglomerate chronologically are ideal for seeing all the trials and tribulations a person goes through in 24 hours. Bad hair day? Three second photo. Terrible line in Chipotle? Five second video. Huge concert? 40 ten second videos. Bored at home with a roommate, boyfriend, or friend? 10 second photo. And in the beginning, Snapchat was only just the picture with some optional text. Now, customization and options have exploded, with timestamps, location stamps, Emojis, and of course…filters.
While timestamps added to the shenanigans of everyday activities (Look, I’m not just getting an ordinary ice cream cone – I’m getting an ice cream cone at 2:24 a.m.), and Emojis have allowed to some dancing ladies to hover over your friend’s head in a Snapchat image, filters were a true change in dynamic. While this is something a tad unsaid, people love themselves to a certain extent. So seeing one’s own face with Burlesque makeup, a trucker cap, wrinkles, or bunny ears, is not only amusing – it’s personal. A person’s face is their identity, so being able to play with that takes social media to a whole another level. However, playing with one’s own face can be a little lonely. That is, until the FaceSwap came into play.
A new famous Snapchat filter now allows individuals to take those faces, take those identities, and completely mix it with someone else’s. It’s a fun, humorous, and for most, an incredibly strange experience. FaceSwap has allowed people to interact, get creative, and all out freaky. In its own weird way, FaceSwap brings people together. It seems almost designed to be this way. Social media can tear and distract people away from each other, FaceSwap is a progressive way to focus one’s attention to the people in the same room as them. Which, in this world, is a step forward.
While FaceSwap has all these redeeming serious qualities underneath the surface, it is also incredibly comedic, and sometimes a little impressive. HerCampus UCF is hoping to see a little bit of that. We want to see your FaceSwaps! Send your FaceSwaps to faceswapucf@yahoo.com for a chance to be featured in an article next week!
Photo credit: Main Image