How Being Real is socially acceptable for the first time in decades

Everyday at a random time, everyone’s phone lights up with a notification that says “IT’S TIME TO BE REAL!”  with yellow, cautionary exclamation points. Everyone anxiously pulls out their phones and looks around for the best background to feature in their BeReal picture of the day. But why does everyone care so much? 

BeReal is the new social media platform that has taken over the spotlight, encouraging users to be unedited, candid and real for the first time on social media. At any given time during the day between 12 a.m. and 11:59 p.m., the app will alert you to post your BeReal at that time. As an incentive to post, you cannot see others’ until you post yours. The app gives you the option to post, even if it is hours late, and react, by emoji or picture to someone else’s post, allowing feedback to your friends’ posts. I can admit there is a level of excitement to post so that I can see what my friends are up to during the day. I feel very connected with my friends on BeReal because, even if we aren’t in the same city, it feels like a mid-day check-in and a look into their day virtually. 

It is interesting to see how much social media functions as trends come and go. I have been on social media since I was 12 years old, so I have gone through many versions and functions of social media as I have grown up. The rise of influencers such as Emma Chamberlain and Davis Burleson have made society start to accept the uncut, unedited versions of people; the reality of being a young adult in today’s society. I like the fact that unrealistic beauty and societal standards are being torn down by influencers and celebrities. It makes the normal young adult feel worthy and encouraged to be their unedited self. It is empowering to share real moments with the ones you love, and BeReal becoming a mainstream app shows how our society is taking big leaps into acceptance of each other for who we are, not who society wants us to be.