Social Media, Fashion, and Other Gossip.

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It's nearly the end of the year. I have 7 days left at the school I have been to my entire life. Looking back on it, I've had some of the best times. I'm actually a little devastated that it's ending. With all this reflection, I'm noticing something big. Im guilty of it, you're probably guilty of it too. So here it is - We're. Wasting. Our. Lives. I think we're really missing the point. I think we're losing some of the important stuff, so what is it?

As teens, the main things we focus on are probably social media, clothes, and gossip. Maybe a stereotype, but maybe not. That's a bit of fun, but I think we're capable of more than that.

We actually spend so so much time trying to get as many likes/friends/followers as humanly possible. Then when someone unfollows you, your like 'uh what? I'm never speaking to her again.' Can you tell I downloaded 'the app' yesterday?? Haha. Now I'm not saying delete your Insta, heck I love Instagram! Don't delete it! But I think it's gone a bit far. I really shouldn't care how messy my feed is, or who follows me back. At the end of the day, it's an app, guys. The number of likes you get is not a reflection of your value. I cannot stress that enough, because so many people are thinking like this. Just because someone else gets more likes than you, they are not better. They do not have a better life. They do not have a better house. They do not have a better family. They do not have a better future. They are not prettier than you are. They are not more well liked than you are. We're all equal, and we're amazing.

Next comes clothes. I don't think it's a secret, I really like clothes. I'm also very particular about what I wear. I seriously don't even want even want to guess how long I spend picking what to wear. Trying to find the perfect combination is a struggle. I'm guessing this sounds familiar to some people. Fashion is a great hobby, but we think about it too much. Often these thoughts stem from our worries about what other people will think of us. Similarly to social media, we need to stop comparing our clothes to other peoples'. If you like something, wear it. Go all out, be proud and be fearless. That's what fashion is about. Don't be put off with the 'it looks weird' thought or the 'people will judge me thought' or even the '[insert most popular girl in your grades name] would never wear this'. Blow it, your an individual, and a gorgeous one too. Be bold about it, and use fashion as a way to express who you are.

But, If you want to be who you are, you've got to let other people do the same. This is where gossip comes in. The world loves gossip, look at reality TV, magazines, or even in your school. It can be so fun to hear the latest. But when you think about it, maybe that's the basis of our problem. The reason you worry so much about how you look, or what's on your Instagram is because you don't want people to talk about it, or compare you to other people. Yet, you'll keep talking about them behind their back. Doesn't seem to make a lot of sense, does it? You'll compare yourself to other people, but you hate the thought of other people comparing themselves to you. So maybe, we need to stop judging and leave room for individuals and creativity. In order for us to feel comfortable, we have to be good to each other. It's a two way street.

So that's as simple as it gets. All of this stuff that we are so caught up in, it's nothing. It's really nothing. Live your life free, don't compare yourself, don't worry about what other people think, and don't judge others. Take a step back, and think about what is really important to you. Maybe make a list. Include things like health, family, happiness. The big stuff. When it's all over, when Instagram becomes MySpace, when no one remembers what you wore to that party, or who did what with whoever, that will be what remains. Don't neglect it now.