The Digital Mask

In this episode of Between Worlds, we talk about the “digital mask” many international students wear while living in the U.S. From switching between Mandarin and English to managing different identities across WeChat, Instagram, and other platforms, we explore how social media can make us feel both visible and hidden at the same time.

We share personal stories about context collapse, family misunderstandings, online self-curation, and the emotional exhaustion of always adjusting who we are depending on who is watching. More than just a conversation about social media, this episode is about identity, loneliness, and the pressure to stay “fine” online.

We also end with a small survival kit: how we can be a little more honest, protect our boundaries, and feel less divided between our online selves and our real selves.

Keywords: international students, digital mask, social media, context collapse, bilingual identity, loneliness