Following a night out clubbing, Lucy*, 23, was subject to taunts online, illustrated through images or ‘memes’, suggesting she had taken her drinking “too far”.
“I was so embarrassed. I was out with some friends, and we were all drinking. Some people I knew had an Instagram page for their friend group, and the next morning I woke up and found myself on it.”
Lucy, who works in journalism, describes herself, much like the rest of the UK adult population, as a “moderate drinker”.
“I was horrified; these were people I knew, and they were making fun of me. I felt too embarrassed to be around them or to drink again for a long time.” Her newfound sobriety was motivated by fear – not health.
Lucy’s not the only one. According to EduBirdie, 47% of Gen Z questioned whether they drink too much, with 31% finding embarrassing photos and videos of themselves after a night out.
With the launch of Instagram in 2010 and Snapchat in 2011, Generation Z, which refers to people born between 1997 and 2012, now between the ages of 14 and 29, is the first generation to grow up with and document their lives through social media.
Where milestones and experiences surrounding drinking used to be more personal, features like Instagram Stories mean that one moment can be viewed for 24 hours and seen by hundreds.
Marie, 24, studying for her MSc in Business, drinks twice a week, admitting that afterwards she struggles with ‘hangxiety’, wherein someone may feel anxious about their or someone else’s actions the night before, leading Marie to feel more self-conscious.
Click HERE to read the full article.