As I walked through the streets of Washington, D.C., with my dear friend a few weekends ago, we stumbled upon the United States Capitol. We looked at our phones and saw a notification from BeReal. 

We snapped a sunny photo with the Capitol and went along our merry way. I forever have that picture stored in my BeReal memories to look back on and remember that moment. 

BeReal is a fun way to store memories that are more authentic than the ones stored on any other social media platform. 

BeReal is an app unlike any other: It sends a notification every day to its users at the same time. The idea is that people will take a photo of whatever they are doing when they receive the notification. Since the notification goes off at a different time each day, its users have no idea when they will be expected to share what they are up to. 

It is a social media platform that shows everyday, mundane activities, rather than the flashy and fun ones people often share on Instagram or Snapchat. 

Sure, anyone can scrape together some “keep Instagram real” pictures to post, but how do we know they are actually “real”? We have all seen that one girl post a goddess picture of herself with the caption, “woke up like this” when she clearly did not wake up like that. 

But, BeReal does not allow for any of that deception for a few reasons. 

First, as any good app does, BeReal exposes fake people. My favorite feature of the app is that it shows how many times a person retook their picture before posting. So, if someone retook a picture seven times, friends will see that and judge accordingly. 

The app also exposes people for posting late. Sure, people may post their fancy dinner as they’re sipping on fine wine, but if they posted it 15 hours late, it is more of a BeFake than a BeReal. 

The memories in BeReal are a treasure in themselves. As I look back at all my posts, I see memories from my radio internship and grocery shopping with my friends. These are raw, candid pictures that I would not have taken otherwise because I was not at my “best” or “camera ready.” 

As I look back on my BeReal memories, I am reminded that there is beauty in the simplicities of life. Random car rides with friends, summer walks as the crickets chirp, and grocery shopping are things that normally wouldn’t be captured for an Instagram feed. But, BeReal welcomes these memories with open arms. 

For those tired of looking at seemingly perfect lives on Instagram or Snapchat, BeReal is for you. I have posted BeReals in bed, in the bathroom, on top of mountains, in the swimming pool, and with all four journalism professors at Hillsdale College. 

It is time to embrace authenticity and be surprised at how many simple memories can turn into beautiful ones.