1st Memory of Social Media (Post 2)

 Oh man this is throwing it WAY back to my time in 7th grade (2011/2012). Facebook dominated 6th grade and was still quite popular but Instagram was on the rise. The really fortunate kids in my grade had iPhones. I was not one of them so I had to settle with my iPod. 

I remember being SO hesitant and afraid to make an Instagram account. The thought of making an account, sending friend requests, waiting to see if people considered me their friends, and then MAYBE posting photos or videos of myself was nerve-wracking. This was different to Xbox Live and video games where people gathered to play specific games (which I was much accustomed to); this was connecting with other people for connection's sake. What would I post about? How would people react? How many likes would I get?

Eventually, I did muster up the courage to send friend requests. I kept it to mainly the people I interacted with the most at school and waited for others I didn't know to send me requests first. As for making posts, it took a little bit longer but I found a way that worked for me. At that time, my identity basically was two things: video games and soccer. Besides my close friends who I played video games with, I didn't think many people would have wanted to see posts about video games. That left me with soccer. My coach at the time also did a great job taking photos of us during games or other times when he wasn't actively coaching, and he would regularly send us/our parents these photos. It seemed like a win-win to me. I start being active on Instagram while showing everybody what I loved to do - play soccer!

I wrote a lot more than I was intending to but I think it helps make sense of what social media was like back then - new, scary, yet exciting. What was your first memory social media?

Comments

  1. --Adam C.May 17, 2025 at 12:20 PM

    We're similar when it comes to how we grew up with social media, granted I was a college graduate when you were first getting into social media as a 7th grader. Despite the age gap our experiences were similar. Thinking back, I wasn't sure if I had anything important to say but as a kid I cared less about public perception. I also didn't have much of an identity outside of gaming and music but I think that the newness of social media made it easier to dive in headfirst because everyone was figuring out social media at the same time. It didn't really matter if what I had to say or post wasn't important because it mattered to me and my friends. That said, I think the "newness" of social media has worn off for me and now that social media has been around for some time I find that I no longer enjoy seeing what people have to say. This is probably because the sociopolitical environment becomes more and more troubling everyday and social media is a distillation of what is happening in society. As such, I've more or less stopped creating content for social media outside of occasional dog posts and I'm curious to see how this course shapes my consumption and utilization of social media.

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    Replies
    1. JackMay 18, 2025 at 4:40 PM

      Hey Adam!
      I like how you said "...what I had to say or post wasn't important because it mattered to me and my friends." I think that's a core concept of social media, whether people realize it or not. Looking back, that was something I was thinking about, even if I didn't realize it at the time.

      I completely agree with you that the "newness" of social media has worn off. I rarely post on social media and have been limiting my time on it. There's so much more to experience in the real world than online!

      I'm looking forward too as to how this course shapes our social media usage!

      Delete
  2. LydiaMay 18, 2025 at 10:52 AM

    Hey Jack!

    I remember my first social media experience too! I definitely agree that it was SCARY and anxiety inducing. I think I made my first social media account in 7th grade, too. Also Instagram! I remember being scared over my first post, not knowing what to post, if people will like my post, or even follow me back. I'm actually kind of getting that same feeling back now, with these blogs. I want to make mine interesting but also informative to our course material. I can't wait to see how our blogs grow over the course of this semester!

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    Replies
    1. JackMay 18, 2025 at 4:37 PM

      Hey Lydia! Good to know that I wasn't the only one feeling like that in 7th grade, haha. I can't wait to see how our blogs grow this semester too! I'll be sure to check your blog out!!

      Delete
  3. GatsbyMay 24, 2025 at 1:14 PM

    Hey Jack,
    Thanks for sharing this memory—what a relatable and nostalgic post!
    I really connected with your experience of feeling hesitant about joining Instagram. I actually had a Facebook account first, too, and for a long time, I did not find Instagram very appealing. It felt like just another platform, and I was not sure I wanted to manage more online presence. But I must confess—today I spend way more time on Instagram than on Facebook! It’s funny how our habits and preferences evolve with time and the way platforms change their features.
    Your story about finding your voice on Instagram through soccer photos really resonated with me. I think a lot of us found early comfort on social media by sharing things tied to our identities—our passions, hobbies, or just everyday school life. And the way you described the vulnerability of friend requests and likes brought back so many feelings I had not thought about in years.
    Thanks for sparking those memories and for making the early days of Instagram feel so vivid again. Looking forward to hearing more of your reflections!
    The Great Gatsby

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