“Selfie” is the word of the year for 2013. Having been given the hashtag “selfiequeen” by many of my friends, this news definitely caught my attention. At first, I had a good laugh with all my friends about it. Of course, in this generation, we’d make something seemingly so silly as “selfie” the word of the year. But thinking further on it, I realized there’s more to the “selfie” than just a mugshot.
In my selfies, there is more than just my face displaying whatever emotion I might be feeling at the moment. I have over 300 selfies in my phone – every one meant to be taken at more than “face” value.
I don’t take selfies just to document my face (because, let’s be honest, it’s not much to look at anyways.) I take selfies because it ties in a memory and holds sentimental value. Whether it’s something big like a first date or something small like the feeling of realizing we had band tryouts and I hadn’t touched my instrument in three days, all my selfies hold some sort of memory with them.
I can look back on one picture and remember how nervous I was before going on my first date with someone I now love dearly. Or I can look upon another and remember how it felt the day we got our jet new jet ski and I was the first to drive it.
Selfies, to me, are more than just a shallow plea of “hey look at me and tell me I’m pretty.” Every single selfie I take has some kind of feeling behind it.
Some people write in a journal to keep their memories. Some people keep scrapbooks. I’m nowhere near organized enough to do either thing and keep up with it. Instead, I keep photos to tell my story.
Looking over this previous year, I’d definitely have to say that my personal “word of the year” would be “selfie,” simply because this year I’ve become very familiar with what a selfie can hold. And that, to me, is something extremely important.
I hold memories and feelings in my selfie. What’s in your selfie?