Written by: Allison Grundy
Many parts of life are worth documenting, keeping and sharing. It can help individuals keep track of memories and also measure their growth over the years. Documentation used to look different than it does today, with shaky camcorder home videos kept on thumb drives and scrapbooks overfilled with photos and stationery tucked away into closets, all ready to be viewed on special occasions. In recent years, many people have decided to document and share their lives through social media, via platforms that allow users to share photos, texts and videos. However, in some ways social media can restrict creativity, turning personal documentation into a performance for an audience instead of a genuine expression of one’s life.
For example, most videos on the platform TikTok are under a minute long, which limits the length of videos people might make. On Instagram, one can post stories that only last 24 hours. Online, I’ve seen people mentioning that seeing their old posts on Instagram ignites a sense of longing for the past version of themselves. So even with social media, documentation can be a powerful tool for self-reflection. And in theory, social media is a great tool for sharing because it allows people to easily connect with loved ones, share experiences and even create communities around shared interests. However, while creativity still exists, it is often constrained by the rules of the platform.
More meaningful ways to share memories outside of social media could include creating a home video of a special family trip or a baby’s first steps. Other ideas include making a scrapbook filled with highlights from the school year, keeping a journal to capture important life events or compiling photo albums to document time spent in another country. Due to the conveniences of social media, we often don’t explore other specific and interesting ways to document life based on personal tastes and interests.
While social media can encourage oversharing, some still decide to document their lives solely for their own benefit. Samuel Guerra, senior film production major, shared his experience with documentation: “There have been trips in which I have taken videos and pictures but have kept them completely to myself. Sometimes I only share them with my close friends, because I find it nice to treasure such memories in my own archive.”
Similarly, Emma Rodriguez, junior political science major, said, “Scrapbooking is something that is meaningful to me because it’s a new way that helps me visualize the fragments of my life that are meaningful.… It helps me be creative and cute and “aesthetic” in a healthier way because it becomes personal and so much more meaningful.”
Oftentimes, the nature of social media makes posting feel transactional when the validation of a “like” overshadows the purpose of documenting for personal reflection. It’s as if the validation of others becomes the point of the entire experience, diminishing the personal connection. Take photography as an example. When I separate the act of taking photos from social media, I realize how differently I approach it. With no pressure to meet external expectations, I focus on making the photo meaningful for me.
Keeping certain moments to oneself, or sharing them in more meaningful ways, is deeply personal and intimate. Putting in the effort to preserve these moments makes them even more special. Not everything that’s documented needs to be shared with an audience. The moments cherished most are often those focused on living life for ourselves.
