Why Snapchat has ruined my life

We all know it. We almost all use it. Snapchat. The most effective way for me to stay in touch and share my life while simultaneously the most effective way to ruin it. Snapchat being responsible for “ruining my life” is definitely a hyperbole. I’m 18, my life is far from ruined. However, being a user since 14, there have been noticeable effects that I credit to the social media app. 

1. My tendency to overshare 

I’ve always been the loudest person in the room, even as a kid. Social media has allowed me to be as loud as I can and post whenever I want. This is both a blessing and a curse. 

Though I love posting on my private story on Snapchat, my friends could argue I post too much, which I’d have to agree. Every time something happens in my life, small or large, I rush to post. Because of this, all of the 40 people on my story essentially know everything that’s ever happened to me. When I meet with a friend and try to tell them something, the most common response is “I saw on your private story.” 

I often wish I could be perceived as mysterious, but how is that possible if everybody already knows everything about me? 

2. Romantic Relationships 

Romance is near impossible when the main form of communication is Snapchat. Between stressing about being on delivered, checking snap scores and retaking the same picture until you get the right one, it’s like a full time job. 

Snapchat allows you to be obsessive. It allows you to rewatch that person’s story infinite times. It allows you to stalk that person’s location, or wonder why they turned it off. It allows you to see how many people that person has snapped while you’re on delivered. It allows you to grow dependent on the app for all information on that person. 

Snapchat can’t be given all the blame on why romance hasn’t worked out for me thus far, but it definitely hasn’t helped me. 

Growing up watching TV relationships, I got used to love letters, rain-soaked confessions and romantic duets. Being a teenager in the time of Snapchat- let’s just say I was extremely disappointed. It’s not to say these things completely ceased to exist, however there seems to be a disconnect. Having to wait on a wordless Snap rather than a letter, an “ILY” rather than an “I’m in love with you,” or a simple ask of “Send?” rather than a fulfilling sexual experience. 

People say love is impossible in this generation. I’d like to think I’m not that cynical, but I’ve realized how detrimental apps like Snapchat are to cultivating genuine relationships. 

3. Self-esteem 

Getting any social media as young as 14 is a mistake. Though on the app store, Snapchat presents itself as an age 12 and older app, I cannot stress enough how wrong that is. A large part of my teenage life was Snapchat filters. My friends and I all used them so often that I didn’t realize that it was definitely a self-esteem thing. I obviously didn’t like what I naturally looked like at the time, and relied on filters to make me seem more attractive. 

Snapchat also gives you the opportunity to compare. Why have so many people added your friend and not you? How come this person’s Snapscore is higher than mine? Why does this person’s life seem so much more interesting than mine? 

It’s a slippery slope and it feeds on insecurity. 

4. Fear of Missing Out

Fear of missing out, or commonly referred to as “FOMO,” has in a lot of ways hindered my teenage experience. When I’m home and my friends are out, I run to Snapchat just to make myself upset. When there is a concert that I couldn’t go to, I go to an attendees story and wish it was me. It’s a never ending cycle that each time leaves me feeling like a loser. 

The sheer amount of times in high school I would cry watching a Snapchat story, feeling left out, is embarrassing. I couldn’t stop myself from opening the app, even though it would cause me pain. 

I’m convinced my FOMO wouldn’t be as bad if I didn’t have access to Snapchat stories, yet I continue to subject myself to them in order to keep up with people. Snapchat, and the action of picking and choosing what to post often makes things seem more glorious than they are. The parties and hangouts I would miss were usually uneventful, however the moments people decide to record and post made me feel like I’m missing “Project X.” 

As I grow older, I’ve seemed to grow out of FOMO more and more. However, Snapchat is always there to remind me what I’m missing all the time. 

Though I can’t blame Snapchat and Snapchat alone for shortcomings in my life, I can wholeheartedly say the app has caused more damage than good for me. When I bring this up, people ask me: why don’t you just delete it? Well, in this generation, it is often the main source of communication amongst peers. Planning a group outing with friends? Snapchat group chat. Talking about a group assignment after class? Snapchat group chat. 

I’m certain I’ve been asked for my Snapchat more than my number. I’m certain I’ve been snapped more than texted. How do we break this cycle? How do you stop using an app that is rooted in how you communicate with others? 

You don’t. So you complain about it!