On Halloween my roommate was trying over and over again to take a picture of her outfit along with a few other props. She was getting so mad: the lighting was wrong, she was too pale…typical girl problems.  Finally, she chose one picture and just said “Whatever, I’ll put a filter on it and be done with it.” Trust me I made fun of her, but I know she’s not alone.  Instagram has become one of the fastest-growing social media outlets; on average there are 15 photos per second uploaded each day. We all know what Instagram is (and for those who don’t, open up your iPhone and stop living under a rock), but what is this new sensation? Are all those girls really that tan? Or are we all born with it, or is it just an Instagram filter?

Instagram is more than just taking plain old photos and turning them into something “artsy”.  Some say that it’s become the easiest way to show your “portfolio.”  Junior Andela Milic explains,“Instagram’s become like a way to show your lifestyle – they say a picture’s worth a thousand words, and its true.  Someone could say there’s a pretty sunset out but until they Instagram it and add #nofilter…it’s not real.”

She’s got a point.  Celebrity accounts have become a model for different types of style; not just fashion but an elegance of a lifestyle, ideas on food, recipes, workouts, entertainment ideas and much more.  Stars such as Rihanna, Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift, the Kardashians and even President Barack Obama have graced our feeds with pictures ranging from golf games, puppies, cocktails and Starbucks cups to the Oval Office, the Grammys and limo rides.  And when Kanye West popped the question to Kim Kardashian, her 11 million followers plus the rest of the world literally got an instagram of her 15-carat sparkler.

If you’re looking for an account that “looks like story book full of glamour minus the glitz but all the class,” check out Lauren Conrad’s account.  Businesses, especially magazines, have taken up accounts on Instagram to show off their latest products, tips on how to use them as well as sneak peeks.  And then there’s the running joke on girls and their obsessions with Instagramming every meal, coffee, sunset and cloudy day.  “It gets obsessive at some point. Do we really need you to have a sunset pic every day? No, it’s like the Instagram courtesy rule.  Keep me interested or its over”, Milic continues. One of the reasons users say it’s becoming their most favorite social media outlet is because there’s no actual reading involved.  It’s a quick glance-over of peoples’ moods and daily life happenings…and so far, no advertisements.

So where are we going with all of this? Why should we care about another social media account? Users say that with smartphone cameras improving more and more, accounts with picture and video focused content are becoming increasingly popular.  “ It’s just easier, like when you’re bored in class, people can’t complain on it as much.  Twitter becomes such a place of ranting and annoyance, that it’s not fun to go on,” Milic proclaims, “with Instagram it says something about the people you follow to see what they think is worthy and artsy. There’s no links leading to the next page.  It’s all right there.”

But as we are all social media experts and we know that in time, a new app will come our way and we will move on (right, MySpace?) But for now, you should try it. Follow a couple of your favorite stars along with your favorite friends and family members.  Any distractions from class are welcome distractions, right?