You have two minutes to read this article. That’s right. I said article. You also only have two minutes to snap the momentary, but legendary daily BeReal. Does the newly found social media site crash every time when that notification rages across phones around the globe? Absolutely. So what exactly is this new cultural phenomenon taking over millennials? By this point, I probably have only 105 seconds remaining, so I’ll do my best.
BeReal rose to prominence among teenagers in the beginning of 2022. Throughout the summer, more and more adolescents have discovered the app. It is a unique form of social media where, for only two minutes each day, the entire world is notified to “BeReal.” In this window of time, you have to hurriedly snap a photo of what you are doing. You can catch a photo of doing virtually anything: playing sports, making a snack or even sitting on the toilet! Although this may sound boring, many teens find it to be wildly entertaining. Upon capturing your realest moment, the camera takes a selfie and a regular outwards picture simultaneously. Friends, family, and others peek through a window into that moment, witnessing not only the camera’s but also the BeRealer’s perspective. Unfortunately, some are unlucky and either miss the dazzling moment or the app fails to load on their phone. As a result, they can post a “late BeReal.” The shame that follows is devastating, as you see all of your friends catch the glorious two minute window, while you fall behind, forever scarred by being only two minutes late. This time stamp accompanies all posts, revealing who is skilled enough to masterfully time the vexingly brief period.
One of the most creative features of the app is the calendar. This calendar keeps a record of all of one’s BeReal snapshots, beginning from their first flick. Dating each photo, BeReal allows people to reminisce on their greatest and most mundane moments.
The beauty of this social media is the rapid change over. Within 24 hours of an alert going off, the screens clear, leading to a new set of friendly photos. Everyday, the platform resets. The only person who can see their past uploads is that respective user. Otherwise, you only have a brief glance into the lives of your friends. There is an ability to comment and “quick react” to a pal’s post as well.
The BeReal has even inspired new TikTok trends. As people run into celebrities or stumble across a once in a lifetime rainbow, they record a video demanding to know where the BeReal is at that moment. Backstage, before the momentous, inaugural fashion show, hosted by Dean of Students and English teacher Ms. Erica Barbakow during the Honor Code Assembly, Senior David Grice furiously demanded to know the status of the BeReal. “This is the perfect moment to capture on BeReal,” he remarked frustratedly.
BeReal’s shocking rise to social media popularity proves that technology continues to evolve. Amid the original titans of Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat, and MySpace, BeReal has managed to claim the number one spot on the Top Charts of the Free Apps in the App Store. An impressive feat, who knows where it will go from here.
