When The Person You Knew Best Becomes Someone You Know Online

Social Media has become a torturous outlet for the hopeless romantics, the star crossed, and the once lovers. From instagram and tagged photos, sub-tweets and song lyrics, there is so much left up to interpretation. From a girl hung up on someone, I know how it is to not want to unfollow that person; his or her social media is the only connection you still have. At the same time, you contemplate if you would be better off not having them spontaneously come up on your screen when you open your favorite Apps.

We all have that one person: let’s call mine G.

Here is my social media reality:

“Omg. OMG. OMG GUYS, G just liked my picture…”

There will be my girlfriends who are die hard Bella and Edward fans never losing faith that G and I are meant to be saying, “he loves you so much, you know he’s thinking about you!” Then of course, the team Jacob girlfriends who say, “you’re over thinking it, he’s a jerk, don’t let it mess with your head.” Either way, for the next hour, all I can think about is what that “like” meant. But let’s be real, what guys do you know who really thinks of “liking” a photo to send some kind of message? You probably just posted a cool photo, the end.

So the ultimate question: Do you keep social media connections or start pressing that unfollow button with as much dread and fear that Rachel Green had while cutting up her credit cards?

I’ve done both and staying social media connected is the way to go, here is why: I’M A NATURAL BORN LURK! I have absolutely zero self-control. Even after extreme measures of deleting/blocking everything possible, and really being okay and moving on, I would still log on to my friend’s twitter or insta account just to see what G was up to.

With that being said, those accidental drunks “likes” or “favorites” are the most humiliating mistakes you can make after you cut all social media ties with someone. At least while following G, a slip of my thumb isn’t an obvious sign that I’m still thinking about him, it’s just another “like” from another follower.

Social Media has become so integrated into all generations; to think that you can delete someone from your life by blocking him or her on social media, is like thinking you can take a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser to their physical existence.

Instead of taking heavy duty scissors to accounts that you can easily undo actions to, really work towards being rational and understand that a “like” is only a “like”. Once you start taking it for what it is, you will find it much easier to move on. You have to accept your relationship, and blocking someone is equivalent to blocking the reality that you are no longer part of his or her life. The moment when your “G’s” face comes up on your feed, and you don’t die inside, will be so much more rewarding than the 20 seconds of triumph you feel after hitting the block button.