Are you a Facebook Narcissist?

We hear the lectures all the time in class to keep our Facebook's clean and professional for when employers check them. But have you considered what message you might be sending without even realizing it? While social media has completely reshaped how we connect with those around us in positive ways, it has also come with its pitfalls. Including the rise of Facebook narcissism.

Facebook is a magnet for narcissists everywhere. It not only attracts them, but can also turn people into one without even realizing it. The following are a few signs that your Facebook may be giving of a narcissist vibe.

1) There's only one person in your profile picture, that being YOU, for the majority of your profile pictures. Don't fret if your profile pic is of just you at the moment. Narcissists typically take great care with this forefront of their page. The pictures will most likely be filtered to hide unsightly features or add a tan. Poses will be made to highlight the best attributes of the narcissist, sometimes in a seductive way.

2) In the words of a song that I am not quite fond of, the narcissist lives by the "but first let me take a selfie" mantra. Narcissists love to update their selfie collection daily. They may have upwards of 2 or more selfie pictures a day. Captions on these pictures usually relate back directly to the person, how they changed their hair, their feelings on the day's events, or even compliment fishing for an extra boost of attention.

3) Having over 1,000 "friends" is another sign of Facebook narcissism. Which is actually slightly terrifying to me considering over a 1,000 people have access to your information. Narcissists love to put on a show that they have a huge network of loyal followers. They will accept almost any friend request as well as send them. Their Facebook may even have lax privacy settings to make their profile more visible to people who aren't even friends.

4) The narcissist will brag about their life in one post and put it down in another. The first tactic meant to put on a show, the second to get people to respond. If reading through status updates on a narcissist's profile, one might be confused as to whether the person is bipolar based on the wide array of positive and negative posts. 

The worst part about the Facebook narcissist epidemic you ask? Most narcissists are not even aware of their actions. The culture of social media and sharing can cultivate this mindset by accident. If you meet these criteria, you are not alone. Those aware of their problem can then work to actively prevent it from occurring again. 

Embracing Your Weekend

As a college senior, I've decided that it would be shameful to spend my weekends sitting at home watching Netflix. A quick description of my weekend adventures since Fall started.

Football Games and County Fair Treats

All of Bulldog nation will tell you that nothing is better than a meeting between the hedges. (Side note: #FreeGurley) I've made it a point to make sure game day Saturdays are spent in Sanford as compared to work or studying at home. After all, once I graduate I will be paying way more than $60 for season tickets. 

Making memories with my amazing friends

After a great game, me and the roommate made a spontaneous Sunday trip to the Perry Fair. My first time going since I grew up in north Georgia. To say that my life was changed by turkey legs, bloomin onions, apple dumplings, and fried cookie dough is an understatement. But it was great to spend the weekend with friends and country cooking.

Family Getaways

After weeks of school and the stress that naturally occurs, I was ready to get away from Athens. Fortunately, my aunt had planned a weekend trip in Big Canoe, a mountain community in Jasper, GA. My immediate family, aunt, uncle, cousins, and grandparents all met up to spend some quality time together for a peaceful lazy weekend. Even though it rained most of the time, we spent our days catching up and just enjoying each other's company away from the hustle and bustle of normal life. 

Big Canoe, Jasper, GA

Mountain Hikes

One of the best pieces of advice I was given as a freshman was to wait until senior year to complete my PE requirement. With the stress of graduating and finding a full time job for afterwards, my backpacking and hiking class has been a welcome outlet. This past weekend I said goodbye to social media and civilization and carried everything I needed on my back for a 3 mile hike up Black Rock Mountain. 

While my muscles are sore today from carrying a backpack up and then down the mountain, the solace I found was great. Some of the views were amazing and the pictures do not do them justice. Even though "roughing it" may not be for everyone, I think I may have found a new hobby.

Black Rock Lake

The best parts of my adventures is that I have been able to share my experiences on social media. Especially with those family members and friends who live far away. Instagram has been my go-to outlet lately and has been the definition of a picture is worth a 1,000 words.

@AEOProblems

"Hi, welcome to American Eagle! Did you need help finding anything today?"

For the past two years I have had the pleasure to work for American Eagle Outfitters as a Stylist (basically a sales associate but slightly different). I have been able to create friendships and share life with my amazing coworkers. That includes surviving Black Fridays, the entire holiday season, and typical retail problems as well. Part of me believes that because retail is such a demanding and taxing job that it is what leads coworkers in the same store to become so close. 

After I joined Twitter (2 months ago to be exact), it didn't take long until I found what has become my favorite Twitter account. @AEOProblems. That's right. While the said problems can be found in most other retail stores there are certain tweets that as an American Eagle employee I directly relate with.

The sentiments of all retail workers right now.

American Eagle inside joke right here.

While I was vehemently against Twitter for so long (for some reasons that I still believe to be true), I have enjoyed taking part in interacting with the @AEOproblems account. It has created a community beyond that created in-store between coworkers to American Eagle employees across the nation. You can share those retail stories that other people can actually relate to, rather than annoying your roommates with another story about a rude customer. Just another example of how people enjoy taking part in a social network and sharing similar experiences.

So here's to you American Eagle employees! #LiveYourLife