What you see is, is not always what you get.

Recently, I have been thinking quite a bit about my social media presence. Apparently, I come off as some wild party girl to some people. Comments such as "Oh, Nandita will be out partying on her day off" or "Where are you going tonight, Nandita" have not been uncommon from coworkers and acquaintances. Though the comments are not coming from a place of malice, I find them to be annoying. My life is multi-faceted, and not confined to my Friday nights out on the town with the girls. Yes, there are numerous photos of me out and about, but that doesn't mean that's all I do. Nobody takes pictures of themselves writing papers, or reading nursing journals to stay current, or working long hours to make an independent life for themselves. Nobody takes pictures of themselves praying or spending hours just chilling with their sister and family.  I can make my cake and eat it too. But nobody sees that side of me.
 
How much of our social media presence defines us? The perception people have of an individual guides their actions towards that individual. If people think I am wild child, will they treat me accordingly? Probably. So really a person has two choices- share nothing about themselves or share everything about one's self. Unfortunately, sharing everything has it's consequences. For example, I have been very blessed to have travelled extensively both locally and internationally. If I were to post albums and statuses of all my travels, I may come off as pretentious. On the same token, too many posts about accomplishments and achievements and you can come off as arrogant. What a fine line one must walk!
 
I have not made any decisions yet as to which route I will choose - share more or share less- but I am definitely more conscious of my own media image. Those who know me intimately, know all that I am. But the world is far larger than the confines of my intimate circle of family and friends, and so I must be aware of the image I depict online. If I, as a mere citizen worry about my image, I can't even imagine what celebrities and politicians must face all the time. The truth is, what you see, is not always what you get- and we should all be mindful of that.

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