A unique generation was born from 1995-2010, which is Gen Z. When people think of Gen Z comparing to other generation such as millennial and Gen X, the first words that poops up might probably be “generation of technology”. People belong to Gen Z was grown up with technology devices during their childhood. For me, I still remember that I owned my first hand phone since I was in second grade of elementary school. Even though is no doubt that I could barely do anything except calling my mom at that age, there was nothing cooler than calling family while holding cellphone in my hand.
With the tremendous development of technology industry as well as the growth of my age, I began to use smart phone and computer at the age of 11, and that was the time I began to adapt to social media. Family members were no longer the only contact on my phone; I started to chat with friends and played online games with them.
With the beginning of the new decade since 2010, apps were created for smart phone users. People started using Facebook and Instagram to share their personal lifestyle. As a part of Gen Z, I absolutely registered one after my friends recommend these apps for me. Within Instagram, a plenty of fantastic posts about people and scenery reflected into my eyes, which made me admire a lots. I tried to post some photos about my lifestyle and the awesome views that I had seen on my account.
With the huge amount of time I spent on my Instagram, it has completely changed my original lifestyle without noticing.
Since using it, I became a girl who gradually know how to filter pictures, how to take great shots and how to adjust the color of photos from a shy girl who kept running away when noticing cameras. With the huge amount of time I spent on my Instagram, it has completely changed my original lifestyle without noticing. At the same time, my friends who were also Gen Z concentrated to operate themselves on social media as well.
When I went to high school in Canada, I started to have foreign Gen Z friends on Instagram, and I found that they do better in operating their own Instagram. “Being more popular and gain more followers” were first came to my brain when I had a Thai friend who had more than 3000 followers on Instagram. She was in the same generation with me, but I could figure out the way she travelled, the way she ate, and way she wore was definitely same with my ideal lifestyle. When I came back to my Instagram page, I saw nothing other than a boring life of a high school student. I started to pay attention to my lifestyle as many of Gen Z did.
I am a girl who barely speaks out in class, but I found myself becoming more active and able to socialize on social media.
Gen Z Know How to Present Themselves Better
According to research, people found Gen Z spending time in Facebook, Instagram and snapchat more than people in other generation. Gen Z is more open-minded and outgoing on social media. They love to show out and share their lifestyle to public. Sometimes, people observe one’s personality and characteristic from another perspective from social media. I consider myself as a classical example; I am a girl who barely speaks out in class, but I found myself becoming more active and socialize on social media. I like to share my personal life on no matter Wechat or Instagram when I experience something interesting or I come out with some critical thinking and opinions. I am getting confident because of friends’ likes, great comments and compliments. After this, I try to capture more wonderful moments of my life to put in my social media accounts.
After a long and specific observation of Instagram, I found that most of the Instagramers that I like are all Gen Z. One of the biggest reason that I love their pages is they all have their special characteristic with all the pictures they post. I feel like Gen Z is braver, more outgoing and innovative about their lives. Some of them focus to take black and white pictures to present what the city looks like on a skyscraper; some of them like to post their fashion and stylist outfits of the day and give recommendations to others; some of them love to show how they eat in various types of restaurants. Me, as a “freshman” of instagramer, I chose to post photos about every special moment of my life in bright and vivid color, such as the pic of my first bungee jump, the pic of joyful moment with friends in Sahara dessert or the pic of celebrating my birthday with surprise. These were not only photos, but also pieces of memory to record my life.
Lots of Gen Z Post Travel Pic on Social Media
As people are getting wealthier than before, most of Gen Z spend their childhood and teenager’ live in better quality. Families are affordable to go to trips in different regions and countries. More people had seen travelling as an enjoyable activity in their spare time. While they travel, Gen Z are always willing to take fabulous pictures and video to keep their exclusive memories during their trips, so do I. I traveled abroad since I was in elementary school, and I love to experience those places that have extremely opposite culture comparing to mine. Since I had been studying in Switzerland, I have more and more opportunities experiencing journeys in other countries nearby with friends. My Instagram started to fill with colorful places and beautiful people. When I label the location at each place, I feel proud and sweet about these unforgettable moments.
As you can see, my life has altered a lot since the establishment of social media, and I believe that I obtain things and experience from it. However, social media has positively or negatively changing our lives is still a controversial topic nowadays.
Please comment and share about how social media change your lifestyle.
Author: Ms. Janice Choi, Hospitality Bachelor student at Hotel Institute Montreux (from Hong Kong)
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