On social media, we tend to share only our best pictures and our best selves. Instagram is often seen through rose-colored glasses (aka filters), as users try to show off the best parts of their lives, favorite outfits, and perfectly edited selfies.
Instagram is a fun platform to share our favorite pictures, but our lives off the ‘gram are not always so cute. Social media does not capture our true lives, only the high points. That’s why people turned to finstagrams.
Finstagram isn’t a different app, but rather a different account on Instagram. Many users make second Instagram accounts, called Finstagrams, where they share the ugly truth, embarrassing stories, and more.
Fake + Instagram = Finstagram
A finstagram, or “finsta” is simply a second Instagram account, known as your fake instagram. While your real Instagram account (rinsta to some) is full of cute, happy pictures, your finsta showcases the opposite. Most finstagram owners are young, and more often than not, female.
Finstagrams show off your ugliest pictures, funny stories, or embarrassing moments. Finstas are usually private, as most of us probably only want to share certain pictures with our friends. Setting strict privacy on finstagrams also allows users to post things they wouldn’t want their parents or employers to see.
Social media can be exhausting. Scrolling through your social media apps can lead to feelings of FOMO, low self-esteem, or worse. Many people struggle as they compare their normal lives to the more exciting-looking lives of those on Instagram.
It’s important to remember that social media is curated – everyone has boring days, bad days, and generally days that aren’t worth posting about.
Finstagrams serve as a fun reminder that everyone’s life is messy on the other side of the camera.
What To Post On a Finstagram
Most finsta posts are funny, ugly, embarrassing, or just a little too real. Finstagram is the place to post your under-the-chin selfies, the video of you dancing on a bar, or a long-captioned story of how you failed your latest math test.
Since only your closest friends follow your finsta, this second account allows you to post your true thoughts and feelings, even if they’re not pretty.
We’ve compiled some examples of finstagram posts to give those without a second account a better understanding. Usernames are blurred to protect the innocent. Some ideas of what to post on your finsta include:
Ugly selfies (nostrils included)
Regrettable alcohol consumption
The time you took a tumble
Hangover cures
…and whatever this is.
There’s no wrong way to post on finsta – it’s whatever you make of it.
The Finsta Challenge
The Finsta challenge is a list of items, usually on a 30 day schedule, that users are challenged to post on their finstagram. Many finstagrams do not stick to this schedule, or they don’t post a finsta challenge at all.
If you’re struggling with what to post on your finstagram, the finsta challenge is a good start. There isn’t one set list of items, but some of the things featured on these challenges include:
- A bad selflie
- A picture of your best friend
- A picture of your (messy) bedroom
- The funniest picture in your camera roll
- A funny snapchat video
- Your spirit animal
- A picture of your crush
- Your most embarrassing story
Create Your Own Finstagram
Make your own finsta today to enjoy social media without the pressure of looking good! Simply make a second Instagram account, ensure it’s set to private, follow a few friends, and post away.