This ephemeral narrative comes from an Instagram story I posted after receiving my graduation photos. The image captures a candid moment where my friend was adjusting my hair while I held my diploma, rather than a polished final shot. I found this moment meaningful and authentic, but still chose to share it to my Instagram story instead of my permanent feed, where I typically post more curated images. This story format allowed me to highlight a fun behind-the-scenes perspective from taking my graduation phots that felt more personal and less performative.
The fleeting nature of Instagram stories had played a significant role in how this moment is communicated and received. Since the post disappears after 24 hours, the pressure to present a perfected image of myself was reduced, so the result was something more authentic and spontaneous. This aligns with ideas of ephemerality and temporality in digital media. Temporary content fosters immediacy and intimacy in audience engagement. Discussed in Social Media Affordances of Ephemerality and Permanence by Dongyuu Kim and Soomin Kim, ephemeral platforms shift how users present themselves by lowering stakes of visibility and permanence.
When I reflect on this, I realize that ephemeral media allows for more nuance in digital identity and this shapes how we document and share meaningful experiences.
Note: I blanked out my friend's Instagram handle to protect her privacy!
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