If you are not up to date on the latest forms of social media, the Banner has got your back. We bring you an article about the one, the only, Finstagram. For those of you who don’t know what a Finstagram, or “fake Instagram” is we will enlighten you. It is an Instagram that is usually a protected second account of the owner, where they post pictures they would not normally post on their primary account. When we asked members of the Harriton student body about Finsta, we received a lot of feedback. A few quotes truly stood out, capturing the essence of Finstagrams:

• “Rinsta, (real insta) is how people think you live your life, while Finstas are the real, flat out truth.” – SG
• “I love Finstas. They’re fun for the person who makes them, and that’s all that matters. If you’re worried about people thinking you’re weird don’t make one, but if you want to laugh at your own jokes, then go for it.” – ER
• “Finstas let you just be yourself and post whatever you want without being ‘judged’ by followers whom you don’t want seeing your stupid posts!” – CW

The Banner also sat down and asked Grace Yagodich, the owner of the first Finstagram to pop up at Harriton, some more questions in our hard-hitting investigation of the “Finsta”.

Harriton Banner: How long have you had your Finsta?

Grace Yagodich: Since the beginning of summer 2014, around June.

HB: What inspired you to make a Finsta?

GY: During the summer months, I swim for my club’s team, and that has been where I have made some of my best friends. None of them go to our school, and my friend Riley had this Instagram account that she referred to as her “Finsta”. At first, I had no idea what it was, but once I saw what it was all about I was instantly hooked. The idea has grown since then, and now more of my friends have them, both from Harriton and other schools. My sister has one as well.

HB: What’s your favorite part of having a Finsta?

GY: Finstagrams are just so entertaining and they make me laugh all the time.

HB: What aspects do you think are crucial to having a good Finsta?

GY: I think originality and confidence are the most crucial things. You shouldn’t really care what others are going to think of it; they know they signed up for complete foolishness when they began following you.

HB: Do you have to work hard for a good Finstagram post, or does it just come naturally?

GY: Some posts are just things I’ll be doing throughout the day that I would find funny and want to share with my friends, while others are inspired by twitter, television, or other forms of social media.

HB: Do you prefer one of your accounts (Instagram vs. Finstagram), or do you like them equally?

GY: I would say both are equal, because they each have their own perks.

HB: How do you feel about more Finstas being made at Harriton?

GY: It’s great that the Finsta community is growing at Harriton!

Finstagrams may not be for the faint of heart, or in other words, people who are afraid of others seeing bad/weird/silly pictures of them. However, if you’re willing to post your silliness for others to see, Finstas are a great way to do just that. Regardless of your opinions on Finstagram, whether you have one or want one, there is something to admire about those showing off their true yet random selves. So all we have to say is, Finsta on, Finsta users. We love it!