Nikita’s Story: SnapMaps
Nikita talks about changing her Snapchat settings to feel happy about using SnapMaps.
Support if you are feeling hurt by posts, comments, photos, tags or other forms of ongoing harassment and you are not sure how to stop it.
What are some things to think about?
It can stay longer than you think
You might have heard people talking about how anything you post online is forever and can have a really damaging impact on your future.
The fact is, what you post online can easily be copied, shared or screenshot so can be out there for longer than you choose it to be.
It is a good idea to be thoughtful about what you post online and to avoid posting when you are emotional, angry or under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
If you are heading out to party and want to capture some of the fun, use your camera for that and then make decisions about what to share when you are more likely to make good decisions.
If you are upset or angry about something, chat to people who care about you privately to let them know what is going on and get some support to be able to work out a way forward.
What does what you are posting say about you?
What you put online (especially if it is public) gives people an impression of you that might be quite different from how you really are in person.
Out of context, some of what you post can easily be misinterpreted or seen as you not being mature or trustworthy.
It can also make people feel that the most important thing in your life is you! Someone who posts hundreds of selfies and long posts about themselves may seem self absorbed.
Think about how what you are posting would appear to someone who does not know you very well but who you would want to impress- would you be happy to stand by it in person?
How much are you posting?
If you are posting every moment of your life online, you are far more likely to post something that you later regret, causes drama or creates an impression that is different to reality.
You might even start to lose sight of what is private or personal and share parts of other people’s lives or relationships. Doing this may mean people find it difficult to trust you.
Sharing moments, emotions, experiences and thoughts are what helps to build strong relationships when these things happen in context with someone that is communicating with you.
Save some stuff for your friends, the ones that truly care for you and are there in good times and in bad.
Have some days (and some moments) that you simply experience in real life without needing to share it with the world.
Remember, less is more. Generally, people are going to appreciate seeing things every now and then have a little insight into what you’re up to rather than you constantly posting things that they will probably get tired of and find annoying.
Where are you posting?
If you really do want to document your whole life (or a lot of it), it might be a good idea to make a private account to share more intimate or special things with some select friends rather than the public or a long list of followers.
Be careful of comparisons
Sometimes you can get caught up in what other people are posting and feel like your life does not really compare or that everyone else’s life is better than yours.
Remember that people post their ‘highlights’, they are still normal people and probably have some boring days or emotional crappy days too.
Also, be aware that photos might be edited and altered or changed so it might not be a fair reflection of what the actual image showed.
Check out the BuzzFeed video to show you what we mean: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgWIxv5_6SE
If you do get caught up in it, think more about how you could enhance your life to make it better and about being happier, rather than wishing you were someone else and thinking your life sucks.
Who could it impact?
Something else to think about is who could be effected by what you are posting.
If it could make some else embarrassed, upset or angry then it is best to either check with them first or not post it at all.
If it is likely to cause issues with friends or family then you need to question why you want to post it in the first place.
Think about Balance
Time online is great and can connect us with people with similar interests as you (which is really great if there are not many people you click with where you live) but balance is really important.
Take time each day to do things offline that you enjoy with people that make you smile.
Take a break from Social media if things start getting too much or if you are finding you are comparing yourself to others too much.
Some time away helps to give you some perspective and keeps you feeling mentally and emotionally strong.
