The aim of this study is to examine how university students at Linnaeus University choose to present themselves on the social media platform Instagram, and how they are affected by their other users. Our research questions are: How do university students present themselves on Instagram? How can these digital self-presentations be understood as impression management? And what are the rules that control our self-presentations on Instagram?

The study has a qualitative approach and semi structured interviews have been conducted. Our data are based on 10 different interviews with students at LNU about the use of Instagram, and how they chose to present themselves to their audience. Our work is based on three different theories such as Goffman's dramaturgical analysis of how they present themselves on social media, Festinger's social comparison theory of how they compare with one another and Jenkin's social identity theory helps us understand how they chose to identify themselves and their group of friends. These theories helped us to analyze our data and get a broader perspective on how we can present ourselves, and how we can be affected by others. The main findings showed that our participants were selective in how they chose to present themselves. They were aware of how they wanted to be presented in a positive manner that suited their self- image and identity. Other people's impression management such as friends or their peers could influence their behavior on Instagram. The feeling of maintaining a front was stronger than being a person that reflected the real “me” outside the digital world.