Forget about rinstas, finstas are taking over.

As the pressure to be perfect on social media continues to grow, students at Hershey High School (HHS) use the world of fake Instagrams (finsta), rather than their real Instagrams (rinsta), to let them be themselves. According to several HHS students, freshman Emma Quillen, junior Kaitlyn Kelley, and senior Michael McCall share the many positives and negatives to having a finsta.

These accounts became popular in HHS around winter of 2016, and they are still growing in popularity to this day.  In an informal survey of 32 HHS students, approximately 81% of students surveyed have a finsta. Finstas are mainly dominated by girls with 88% of them owning an account. On the other hand, only 33% of boys use finstas.

According to Kelley, a finsta account owner, real and fake instagrams have some major differences.

“Rinsta posts are really posed and show the best parts of your life and fun times, whereas finsta posts are random and show your true self,” said Kelley.

McCall agrees with Kelley that on a finsta, it’s a lot less thought and more spontaneous. Rinsta posts require filters and clever captions, said McCall.

According to Quillen, rinsta accounts have so much pressure to uphold the best version of oneself, whereas finstas can show a closer look into you and your life. Many post things like embarrassing moments, funny stories, positive messages, and great memories with their friends.

Although finstas can be fun, there are many downsides to posting on this type of account.

“If you rant or say something someone doesn’t agree with, it often times gets shared,” said McCall.

The world of finstas are supposed to be just for your close friends, but many people can end up getting hurt or even in trouble if they don’t think before they post. Followers can always screenshot, and pictures last forever.

According to Sophie Stadler, 18, “Backstabbers aren’t unheard-of. Called ‘finsta snitches,’” these people take screenshots of revealing posts and use them for leverage.”

All three HHS students agree that with finstas, there are many risks, and your account may not be as private as you think it is. Every finsta account owner should always watch what they post because it can hurt them in the future.

“Colleges will look for people’s finstas along with your rinsta accounts,” Quillen said. “All your hard work into your academics could mean nothing if your social media accounts give off the wrong messages.”