Pinterest’s visual appeal and toxicity-free environment make it my chosen platform for inspiration and purposeful engagement

I have been using social media applications for ten years now. From keeping up with streaks on Snapchat to eventually making an Instagram account in junior year of high school after begging my mom, I have explored a variety of social media applications. I still use both applications and others, such as TikTok and VSCO. Ultimately however, the social media app that I love the most is Pinterest. It suits me the best and is underappreciated, as it is unique from other typical platforms.

I have always been a visual person, so it is important to visualize what I want to attain. This can be done by pinning images to specific boards on Pinterest, which are like digital vision boards. For example I really love fashion, and there are many outfit combinations on Pinterest that inspire my own style. I pin these ideas on the digital board I have made specifically for the types of clothing I want my wardrobe to be filled with. 

The more I would add to that board, the further it was implemented in my head that I could create these outfits on my own. After some time, my style changed to match my Pinterest board. The funny thing is that I don’t even have many new additions to my closet, but I’ve learned how to cultivate specific outfits from what I have to match the aesthetic I am going for. I can now pick out staple clothing items to create multiple outfits with by envisioning them instantaneously. 

Unlike other social media applications, Pinterest is more image-based than content-based, so I can visually explore various possible hobbies I might be interested in picking up. I enjoy painting, but I always only paint on a canvas. However, Pinterest started showing me paintings on tote bags and plant pots alongside the ones on canvases. I became interested in painting on tote bags and plant pots, which led me to create boards with possible ideas for both. 

It led me to discover that crocheting and knitting are also things I would like to try, and you already know I have a board made for that on Pinterest. This application serves as my personal search engine, and unlike Google, it gives me more visual and creative results. 

Pinterest showcases aesthetically pleasing images, allowing me to discover ideas visually as if I were the only one on the app in my little world. Although you can like and comment on pin posts, they aren’t visible when you view the image, and there are very few comments unlike other social media platforms. With no focus on comments and likes, Pinterest does not foster comparisons with other app users. 

It is a quiet platform consisting of beautiful images and photo collages, and I have not yet found any negative comments or pictures. This is why, unlike other social media platforms, I can get in the zone and actively use the application in a positive manner without being driven by the typical toxic incentives of posting personal life events for validation from others.  

As someone who is trying to avoid apps like TikTok, I find Pinterest to be the best social media app for me to use. It is far less toxic and overstimulating while fulfilling as a source for me to use when I am seeking inspiration. I am not aimlessly scrolling through it to pass the time – I am actively on it for a purpose.

When I only used Pinterest like this in the summer, my social media usage severely decreased, and I felt a lot more peaceful. Since this app is more aimed at retrieving and organizing ideas while working in a visual format, I plan to adopt the habit of using Pinterest as my primary social media app from now on. 

Although I wouldn’t use any social media platform in an ideal world, Pinterest inspires me to live to the fullest by trying all kinds of new things and not just wasting away my life on my phone.