THE ALMIGHTY NOTIFICATION

It’s quite funny how often I check my notification bar to see whether someone have followed me or liked my write-up. Now I feel like it’s becoming an obsession and oh boy! It’s not one I’m ready to let go. I am envisaging that in the nearest future, I would be doing more of this.

Whenever I receive a notification, I can’t help but smile because it means I matter and I begin having this feeling of being special. I do it on Facebook Pinterest, Twitter, Whatsapp, Gmail, Yahoo, Bebo, My Friends, MySpace, Skype, Blogger, WordPress and hell even on Medium. Sometimes I would wish there was an app that keeps me posted on every likes and comment I get so I don’t have to check up on it every millisecond.

I virtually feel a constant need to be approved — My appearance, philosophical beliefs, emotions, ideologies, passion and opinions are crying and bleeding to be heard and acknowledged. I literally post pictures on Facebook and check every minute I can spare how much likes I’ve managed to earn . What about instagram? It’s another story entirely. I search for the best picture on my gallery; one that fits the image I’ve managed to build and post it hoping it will get more likes than the previous. Now talking about Twitter, I follow famous people and though I’m not that type of girl who is obsessed with knowing popular and rich people, I still find myself clicking the follow button. I feel out-of-this-world when a famous person follows or likes my post. You should see me blushing then.

Why? Sometimes I ask myself what is behind this constant need to be known, to be liked and I’m at loss of answers or words to describe this. The best word I’ve managed to come up with is obsession. Oh my God! Am I obsessed with the social media? How the heck did I manage this? Sometimes I reassure myself my case scenario is better! You should see my younger sister — she goes to lengths to get the latest app that beautifies and decorate photos taken. Last week she just kept on holding her phone to her face taking a selfie and exclaiming how it’s been long she wanted to download the snapchat app. She kept on squinting, pouting and rolling her tongue here and there to look subtlety beautiful. She posts pictures of herself at almost every two hours like it’s some kind of update. I believe she’s more obsessed than I am with these evil notifications!

I come online most times telling myself — Favour, you’ll only spend 30 minutes on the internet but will end up spending three hours! And yet I tell myself it’s not an obsession. Oh Favour dear, you’re truly obsessed. No? You say. I’ll prove it to you. I am obsessed with notifications because they reassure me that my activities matter to somebody, because I want to be validated. I feel great to read someone tell me I’m beautiful or look outstanding in my profile picture and when someone comments on my blog, I read it over and over again because I

feel my views count whether it’s a complete stranger, a friend or family member.

I went miles to get my tab so I would feel connected in every way with the social media afterall what’s the use of social media if one isn’t social? Duh?

When I get notifications, I feel so awesomeeeeee that I feel like telling everyone around me. The first time I got my first notification on WordPress, my family members couldn’t get enough of me as I kept showing them over and over again, reading them comments made by people.

Whatevs! I am beginning to think it’s maybe okay to be just a tiny itsy bitsy obsessed with the reassurance that notifications give me. Come to think of it, most people would tell me “hey I don’t like your profile pic” and I go back looking for faults, most times I would ignore, most times I would feel like maybe I was not just cut out for social media. I think in the same vein, I would not be swayed by the evil vices of receiving new likes or sugar-coated comments because not every like is a like !

But it’s okay to at least derive a moment’s happiness and joy notifications bring with it. Because Kim Kardashian has got million followers doesn’t really mean I wish to be like her. I want to be myself, I need to learn to assure myself I’m great most times, need to tell myself I look dazzling then I guess people will begin to see my inner beauty.

Is your obsession of notification something of great concern?

What kind of notification makes you the happiest?

I love following and like notifications! Yipee.

If you really loved this, please comment and tell me what type of notifications makes you freeeaaakk out.

I'm Favour Uchechukwu and I heart (❤) Mabilla TV.