by Isabella Madruga
We’ve all seen them at some point these few weeks. Those Instagram templates and chain drawing/challenges that have transferred through people’s stories exponentially. Have they gotten annoying? Yes. But it’s also indicative of something about humanity and today’s youth.
Human beings are social animals, and no matter how introverted you think you are, you need human interaction. And this quarantine has been the opposite of helpful with this constant need for socializing. Sure, many Menlo kids are staying with their families during this time, but family time tires quickly. So what are people doing now to stay connected?
Some FaceTime or go on their own Zoom to see their friends. But they also want to stay connected with them and with other people through something other than FaceTime, which some people might not have time for. That’s where these challenges come into play. The Menlo bingo templates (or any other bingo templates), the drawing of fruit, the ‘until tomorrow’ challenge that clogged everybody’s feeds for a good day, etc. I’m sure there will be many new challenges as I write this and publish it, but they all share something in common.
You tag people. And that’s where the connection comes into play.
Our generation is trying to do the best we can to connect with each other, and these challenges are physical proof of our potential for innovation and connection with technology. So while yes, these challenges and templates on people’s stories can get quite cumbersome, maybe think about it a little bit differently. If you get tagged by somebody, instead of groaning, think, “Wow, this person actually thought of me.” If you see a template on somebody’s story, take the chance to look at it and get to know them better. These challenges are one of the many ways people are staying in touch with their friends and fulfilling their social needs, and I think it’s pretty cool to witness.
The Bard 