Being a young adult, specifically a 24-year-old Zillenial, I land right on that wonderful cusp of not quite being a millennial but remembering a time where your parents told you to go outside, be home before dark, and before social media. I had access to the internet before it was probably healthy to do so, but let’s be honest, social media is probably not the healthiest place for any of us to be at any given time! Instagram tends to be the biggest perpetrator of toxicity and unachievable standards. This especially affects young women because everyone can – and usually does – only show the good and glamorous of what is going on in their lives without revealing hardships and grief.
Over the last year, the pandemic has highlighted those glamor versus grief disparities in a variety of ways, and we have all struggled and survived through it together. This last year has not been easy for me personally and it is a conscious effort to wake up every day and try again. Being torn away from clients at your internship, thrust into virtual school for your graduate program, and watching everyone flounder to make things work really sets a new tone for learning.
I am incredibly lucky to have a strong, supportive mom who helps me so much and gives a whole new perspective on what it means to be a #Boss. With her by my side, never faltering, and always picking up the phone for our morning call over coffee, she provided the support I needed to overcome days that seemed insurmountable and tasks that seemed impossible.
Life has a mysterious habit of really testing you when all you are wishing for is a break. We lost a young family member without warning or time to prepare and not much compares to the feeling of grief you experience from such shock. In an attempt to find my own silver lining through the pain, I found comfort in seeing my family and the community around us come together with love and compassion, no strings attached to the offers for help, and being reminded just how important life is.
This is our reminder that social media and Instagram do not show you the whole picture. It shows you the unattainable glamor but not real-life grief. Lastly, it cannot provide you the warmth and safety your loved ones can provide you outside of your phone. Remember to tell those you love how much you love them.
About Megan: My name is Megan Kaiser and am a 2021 University of South Carolina graduate with a Master’s in Social Work. I hope to use my experiences and education to be an advocate for minority communities, as well as LGBTQ youth like me!
