The internet. A beautiful place where you can make yourself out to be whoever you desire. Maybe you’re a shy and awkward introvert in real life, but once online you become the coolest, most charismatic character imaginable. It really is a blessing and a curse.

People I’ve known for ages on the internet have often turned out to be completely different in person. Not always in a negative way, but always noticeably different. A lot of important parts of socialization don’t pick up in online interactions. Think social media. It’s text-based, you think out your posts before sending them, and you choose the best images to represent your idealized self. Nobody can see you anxiously sweating when you send a tweet. They just see the tweet that you sent. 

So naturally, people have picked up these distinctions. Whether by self-reflecting or examining other people, we’ve realized not everyone is as they seem online. Here are some memes that really drive home noticeable juxtapositions between real life and the internet. Check them out!