Most people aim to live positive lives without influence from “toxic” individuals. Over half of the population’s New Year’s Eve resolution is to start fresh and rid these pernicious people from their lives; unfortunately, this goal is almost never fulfilled. In honor of this sad yet common phenomenon, Jimmy Kimmel began a holiday known as “National Unfriend Day,” a day designated to unfriending negative people on facebook. This well-known event is centered around keeping friends close and cutting out unnecessary people.

“I only have a personal, private account for my close friends,” said junior Gal Dardashti. “I can post whatever I want, and I never feel judged. My account never exceeds 80 followers, and I feel so comfortable with it. So many people have a big account and I do not see a need for it.”

Established on November 17, 2016, Kimmel’s “holiday” emphasizes the importance of new beginnings. The start of the year is crucial and often used to replenish one’s mental health. With the world’s heavy reliance on the internet, social media can greatly affect one’s mindset. A lot of people are victims of hate and bullying on social media and hopelessly search for peace of mind. By cutting down on the negative people clogging up their screens, the chances of improved mental health skyrockets.

This generation is constantly thinking about their social media accounts, how many people liked their post, who commented and more.. Today, young individuals are judged by the number of followers on their social media platforms rather than actual human qualities. This generation would rather have strangers follow their accounts than just their real life friends. It is difficult to understand the concept of quality over quantity due to these expectations and societal norms. By limiting followers on social media accounts to close friends who provide positivity, the Internet becomes a more accepting and safe space for people to express themselves and allows people to enjoy social media without pressure to portray themselves in a way that pleases everyone.

“I remove dozens of followers from my personal accounts monthly,” said junior Denna Hadipour. “I try to keep it real even though I know some people’s feelings will be hurt. I need to do it for my own emotional health. Only real people, all the time.”

Though many are nervous about removing ‘friends’ from their accounts, it is vital for a stress free, happy life. Social media accounts can say a lot about an individual, as they are pouring with personal information, so the closer the friends, the better. If the follower is contributing anything but positivity to one’s life, they should be removed.