VSCO, as we know it, has slowly but surely risen to fame and is now one of the most frequently used forms of social media. It, according to the website, is “a community for expression which empowers people everywhere to create, discover, and connect.” Some may argue VSCO is an excuse for girls or boys to post more pictures than the “socially acceptable” one pic per day on Instagram, while others seem to believe VSCO is a whole different domain of social media where you can express yourself freely and completely. Now, is VSCO overrated, underrated, or properly rated? That is to be further discussed.

When VSCO began, you couldn’t see who followed you. This was a daunting and definitely new concept for all of the Instagram users who are constantly notified when someone wants to or has began to follow you. Since then, VSCO has incorporated the followers/following system much like Instagram, but VSCO has not hopped on the like-and-comment train. I find this feature to be what sets VSCO apart from Instagram. On Instagram, there is a natural “prime time to post”, a “like-to-minute ratio” and a desire for the best feed–or how your photos blend together. Lots of Instagram users–including myself–take these aspects into consideration almost every time they want to post a picture. It’s Instagram’s culture that has been developed over time. However, on VSCO, there is none of that nonsense. You can post any pictures you want, choose from the many filters, and not care about how many likes you are going to get. In my mind, it is a refreshing break.

Also, VSCO supports positive reinforcement from those who do see your posts. It has a “Collect” feature, in which users can publish a photo of yours that they like–with credit, of course. This creates a favorable and positive environment on VSCO because it’s an indirect compliment when your photo gets published.

Many people would argue that VSCO is just an excuse for teenage divas to post an ample amount of pictures of themselves with duck faces and in various sorority squat poses. And in some way, it is. But that’s not the worst thing in the world because VSCO also grants you a creativity to explore that many of the other “comment-and-like” social media outlets naturally inhibit. VSCO is a way to express yourself and what is important to you. You can find pictures of my friends and my family; cross country and track; acai bowls and coffee; scenery pictures from the trips I have been fortunate enough to go on; quotes that I find inspirational. My VSCO represents who I am, more than my Instagram does, at least.  

Obviously, just like with any trend, there will be people who prefer Instagram. But on VSCO, worries about likes or comments don’t exist. On VSCO, you can document your life with as many pictures as you’d like, sans judgement. VSCO is unlike any other form of social media. It is free from the shackles and pressures that Instagram presents and, refreshingly, allows you to be yourself. 

Verdict: Underrated