LIFE

We're not gonna lie—Snapchat is awesome (and you should totally follow GL at girlslifemagGL). It's a super fun way to exchange pictures with your friends, all your favorite celebs use it and the filters are endlessly entertaining. As fun as Snapchat is, though, it's not good to spend all your time on it. According to Statista, more than half of Snapchat users are between the ages of 13 and 24, and 77 percent of these users use the app at least once a day. That's a whole lot of Snapping. 

Along with all that Snapping comes a ton of missed moments. If you're focused on capturing your surroundings for your Snapchat story, you'll miss out on capturing your surroundings in your own memory.

On your next vacation, instead of spending time scrolling through the filters for geotags, look around and think about where you are. Consider the historical significance and beauty of the location, not what your friends will think when they see it in your Snapchat story.

I myself have missed some key moments in my life because of Snapchat. When I went to Paris with my family, I was on Snapchat while we approached the Eiffel Tower. Because of that, I don't remember what it was like to see the Tower for the first time. I wish I had payed attention to the world around me instead of my phone.

When you look back on your adolesence in 20 years, you're not going to remember what you put on your Snapchat story. You're going to remember what you saw through your own two eyes and what you experienced. Why not make those memories more vivid? Keep the snapping to a minimum during important moments. You may enjoy the respite! As GL intern Maria learned during her social media break, it's important to take a pause from technology every once in a while

We are challening you to not use Snapchat during concerts, shows, events or other in-the-moment activities. Snapchat stories expire in 24 hours, but memories last forever.

Are you guilty of paying more attention to Snapchat than real life? What will you—if anything—to change your habits?

by Deanna Schwartz | 8/17/2016