When do we Delete Snapchat?
From dog and rainbow filters to ensuring your thousand-day streaks don’t get lost, there is no doubt that Snapchat has cultivated a generation of social media addicts.
Gaining popularity in 2012, millions of people from around the world downloaded Snapchat to connect with their friends and embrace the concept of sending disappearing pictures and chats. In 2013, Snapchat was among the most downloaded social media apps.
Growing up with social media at the forefront of society, I remember apps like Snapchat and Instagram taking off and watching all my friends making their profiles and customizing their avatars. Like many, I secretly downloaded Snapchat in 5th grade (way too young, by the way!) and quickly became obsessed with having the opportunity to talk to my friends outside of school.
Years later, as I sat and scrolled through what seemed like endless stories, conversations I had not responded to in two weeks, and the same memories I had been seeing for years now, I reflected on the purpose of this app, trying to find a reason to keep it on my phone.
News Flash! I didn’t find a reason, and I have had Snapchat deleted from my phone for two months.
When I think of Snapchat, I can’t help but think of the void of an app that we try to fill by sending meaningless pictures to our friends. Snapchat has done irreversible harm to how we act as a society, with individuals being unable to converse for more than two minutes. Sending a picture of yourself with half your face cut out of the frame and no text has become so normalized, and with this came insignificant conversations lacking substance and thoughtfulness.
Snapchat has also contributed to many societal shifts, especially the rise of toxic hook-up culture and the increase in poor online decision-making. The app is momentary in nature but can have lasting effects that can lead to anxiety and depression in kids and teenagers.
The concept of the snaps and chats “disappearing” has led to countless kids, teenagers, and even adults running into trouble. Nothing is really gone, and although the picture might “vanish” after ten seconds, one wrong snap and your life could be ruined.
So, what have I learned since deleting Snapchat? I’ll be honest: the FOMO was real at first. My friends would come up to me asking if I saw a certain post, forcing me to remind them that I do not have the app anymore, as well as feeling left out of plans and overall disconnected from the world.
But I did not expect to feel so refreshed and cleansed from social media. My screen time decreased by a couple of hours per week, and as time passed, I felt myself slowly forgetting about Snapchat entirely.
Snapchat has become the main form of communication for so many people, oftentimes never answering their text messages or phone calls but never letting a snap go unopened for more than five minutes. It was a hard pill to swallow, but I realized that the people I need or want to communicate with on a daily basis have my phone number and vice versa.
I fully believe (without trying to sound superior, I promise) that deleting Snapchat has brought me back to reality, rather than just focusing on a void of meaningless pictures and dull conversations.
But the question of us as a society collectively moving on from the app still stands. I am sure some of my friends will be keeping up with their streaks on their wedding day, as well as vlogging the birth of their first child and uploading it to their story, and that’s totally fine. But just like everything, all good things must come to an end.
You don’t want to still send “streaks” at 40 years old, right?
Strike Out,
Matthew Wolfe
Boca Raton
Matty Wolfe is a Content Writer for Strike Magazine Boca. As a lover of nature and the ocean, you can probably find him sunbathing at the beach or finding a new hiking trail. If you ever do find him inside, he'll be indulging in Lana Del Rey's discography or watching old Survivor seasons. You can reach him by email at mattheww0507@gmail.com or on Instagram @mattyywolfe.
