Ahhh, social media. It’s the crutch of our generation; the bane of our youthful existence. We love it, we hate it, we love to hate it. But most of all, we’re addicted. Whether it’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, SnapChat, or MySpace (please, oh God, don’t let it be MySpace), we simply can’t get enough.
But, consider this: could social media be negatively impacting the quality of our romantic relationships? I know, I know, I’m a PR Girl – I’m supposed to absolutely **aDoRe** social media, and I do! I really do. But I’m also realistic, I’m observant, and I’m raising my hand because I’ve been personally victimized by social media, and I’m 99% sure that I’m not the only one.
Think about it. Is your boyfriend “best friends” with another female on SnapChat? Or did he just tweet at a blonde with suspiciously slutty eyeliner? Or wait, HELL TO THE NO… did he just ‘like’ that bitch’s Instagram selfie!
We’ve all been there. No, we’re not very psycho, or needy, or insecure. The problem is the constant prevalence of accessible, real-world competition that makes us feel like shit. Odds are your boyfriend’s social media habits do not differ exponentially from your own. We’re all young, we’re all in college, and we all talk to members of the opposite sex. Get over it! However, social media puts that innate tendency in the technological spotlight, totally on display for investigative girlfriends.
Let’s explore a few of the worst offenders, shall we?
Twitter: How is it possible that 140 characters can inflict so much heartache? So your “BAE” just tweeted at slutty eyeliner blonde. Crazy GF mode: initiate! You follow her handle until you’re on all 40K tweets of her grammatically incorrect feed. You might pretend like it doesn’t bother you, acting all nonchalant at first. However, your cool cover will be blown on Friday night when you’re incoherently drunk and your sweet boyfriend tries to buy you a drink: “No, you stupid asshole,” you’ll scream in a mixture of tears and pure obliteration. “Go buy a drink for your Twitter whore!” Embarrassingly, I speak from experience.
Facebook: Don’t even get me started. Facebook relationship statuses were created for one reason, and one reason only: to destroy the happiness of the involved individuals. In the event of a break up, or even a 2 week “break,” the first thing a girlfriend checks is her relationship status: it’s the eternally awful mind game of who will be “single” first. As if breaking up wasn’t bad enough, now Facebook blasts the entire juicy situation over the Internet. Not to mention you’re stuck with an extremely public time capsule of couple pictures and old wall posts, along with 20+ texts from “concerned” friends asking, “OMG I saw FB what happened!!!!!!!!” No, thanks.
Instagram: Oh good, an entire social media dedicated to #MCMs and #WCWs. I swear to the holy Lord, if I see one more girl #MCM her boyfriend, detailing how effing amazing and wonderful and smart and talented and athletic and handsome and perfect he is, I will personally report her for being inappropriately ANNOYING. There is nothing worse. Awww, your boyfriend got you two dozen red roses and a $350 Coach purse for V-Day? STFU, you spoiled braggart; love and affection aren’t supposed to be bought. Instagram provides the perfect platform for girls – and guys – to constantly compare their romantic satisfaction with their photo-savvy and forever smug counterparts.
While Twitter, Facebook and Instagram are the worst, they’re definitely not unique in their relationship-ruining abilities. SnapChat, Pinterest (wedding boards, oh my!), ask.fm, and even MySpace can completely alter the way you interact with your S.O. The next time you’re feeling especially pissed off, take a step away from your iPhone and really think about why you’re mad. If the anger originates from a post on any social media platform, reconsider. You are stronger than the Internet, and hopefully so is your relationship.
Featured Image: SocialMediasMarketing.com.
