Over the break, I proposed to my girlfriend of almost three years. After the requisite celebrating and explaining how I built my elaborate scavenger hunt to lead up to the ring (including a secret clue hidden somewhere in an issue of The Cascade…), we did what any good young millennial couple would do: posted an update to our relationship status on Facebook. It turns out there’s no better way to be overwhelmed with that approval from friends, acquaintances, family, and people you barely know than a major life event. It made for a fun night, hanging out with my new fiance, talking with her family about wedding ideas, and just watching the comments pour in.
I’m sure a lot of people would criticize that, saying we should’ve done something more romantic to celebrate rather than getting Burger King and looking at our phones, saying, “Ooh, so-and-so commented!” but is it really so bad to be excited and want to see that people are happy for you? It was memorable, cozy, and probably a better example of what the life we’re going to lead post-marriage is like than a fancy candlelit dinner. Sure, there’s such a thing as oversharing on social media and getting caught in a cycle of needing that validation, but I don’t see anything wrong with sharing some big news on the primary communication medium of our generation and then wallowing in the approval for a few hours.
Jeff was The Cascade's Editor in Chief for the latter half of 2022, having previously served as Digital Media Manager, Culture & Events Editor, and Opinion Editor. One time he held all three of those positions for a month, and he's not sure how he survived that. He started at The Cascade in 2016.
