Not all millennials like social media

Social media is a prevalent staple in the world’s perception of millennials. However, exceptions exist that imply this generation isn’t so easily defined.

It’s an often stereotypical image: a young person on their phone with their laptop in front of them, headphones in, updating the world. Everywhere you go, it seems like people are constantly connected to one another by their fingertips.

Sophomore biology major Samiha Ahsan uses social media every day, citing Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook as her primary platforms.

“It’s there and its easy entertainment to have in the palm of your hand,” said Ahsan.

On the other hand, Ahsan said if social media didn’t exist, she’d probably get more work done and enjoy experiences more.

“It does kind of suck when you’re going out with your friends and you’re busy taking pictures and stuff, but you’re not really focused on actually enjoying your time with them,” said Ahsan.

Ahsan believes social media use becomes overly excessive when a person is continuously sharing what they’re doing every single second of the day. However, she said social media has been an easy way to solidify new relationships.

“I’ve met people in person, but I feel like I’ve gotten close to them by interacting with them on social media more, said Ahsan. “The next meeting in-person was not as awkward.”

Some people young people enjoy social media. Others don’t.

Nathan Christie, a senior majoring in public affairs and peace and conflict studies, is a young person that does not currently exist – according to social media.

No Facebook. No Twitter. No Instagram. No Snapchat.

However, he did give social media a good try. In the 7th grade he had a MySpace, in the 9th grade he had a Twitter and as a freshman at WSU, he had an Instagram for a grand total of 24 hours.

“I was sitting in my dorm and I didn’t know what to take a picture of because I was just thinking: why?” Christie said. “It felt like a lot of effort to think about and I didn’t even have any followers.”

Christie said he felt burdened by his social media and experienced a sense of relief when he began deleting his accounts.

“I’m not prepared to say it’s superficial, but I think maybe people use it in a superficial way,” Christie said.

For instance, Christie remembered going to a Tigers game and seeing two girls spend the entire time prioritizing social media.

“They didn’t talk. They looked bored out of their minds. They were just scrolling through Facebook. They took a picture together, and they looked so happy to be at the Tigers game,” Christie said. “They weren’t actually having a good time, but that didn’t matter.

Christie admitted that he does sometimes feel left out of certain things, like events that are organized and promoted through Facebook. However, he values and preserves the experiences he has in his own way.

Last summer, Christie and his best friend took a trip together and took all their photos on disposable cameras.

“We didn’t know if the pictures were good or not, we were trusting strangers. Like, take a picture, but don’t take six like you normally would with a digital camera and pick the best one. It felt a little more raw or authentic,” Christie said.

20 percent of the photos didn’t turn out with the best quality, but Christie said he was just happy to explore places he had never been and be in the moment with his best friend.

“I guess the memory is more than enough,” Christie said.

He didn’t post the photos online, but he has a stack of physical photos he keeps and shares with others as he chooses.

“You might have a few hundred Facebook friends, and you’re letting them in on intimate details about your life,” Christie said. “If it’s something personal, I feel like it does have more value based on who you selectively share it with."

While he believes social media is great for connecting with acquaintances and new friends, he prefers to communicate directly with people.

“Imagine a day where you go and knock on someone’s door to see if they’re there. It’s just so much more deliberate,” Christie said. “It [social media] detracts from the moment, or being present or mindful.”

Ultimately, Christie doesn’t wish any less of social media if it brings people joy, but he doesn’t think it should replace face-to-face interactions.

“I feel how I feel,” Christie said. “I’ll base an interaction that I have with somebody off of that. People don’t like photos. I just talk to people and they smile at me, it just feels so much more genuine and I don’t have to question things. It just feels real.”