Social media is like a double-edged sword. It can be fun at first, and then once you take the time to scroll back, a cringe-attack strikes. It’s time to filter through your social media accounts, and no, I’m not talking about Valencia or X-Pro II. Let this arrival to college be the time to start fresh and make a new impression. When you’re looking to land that awesome job or dream internship, don’t let your photos bring you down. Here are the various actions you can take to sanitize your social media.

I LIKE MY ORGANIZED CHAOS

More power to you. Maybe you haven’t taken horrible selfies or had a late night Twitter meltdown that will make your boss cringe. If you want to leave your social media as wild as an episode of “Jersey Shore” go for it. Just remember the consequences of that twerking Vine could be huge.

CLEAN UP THE MESS

I’m talking to you Instagram photo with nine likes. This plan of action is ideal for everyone. Don’t act like you forgot the mirror pictures you posted on Facebook from middle school. It is time to go through your posts (and I mean go as far back as you can) and delete the unwanted Jersey Shore live tweets. Even if you’re perfectly okay with your obsessive wedding Pinterest boards, hiding some old posts will prevent your friends from creeping and commenting on it for all to see…again.

SUIT UP

Time to upload your LinkedIn headshot. Many businesses are going to want you to have a strong web presence, and social media is the key to that. Many people start separate social media accounts for their professional identities. This can be a good option if you refuse to stop sub-tweeting about your coworkers but it can be a challenge. Managing two accounts on the same social media site can be boring for you and your followers and if you don’t post regularly on either account, they both will suffer.

ZIP IT LIKE A PADLOCK

This place about to blow. This option is for those who can’t control themselves. If this is the road you wish to travel, dig into your privacy settings and lock up your account to private. This will stop the embarrassing RTs and people scrolling 137 weeks back on your Instagram feed. Warning: This won’t fix the root problem of you getting involved in Facebook comment wars.

SHUT IT DOWN

Yes, you may look like a drama queen. But it may come to this if social media is just an unnecessary part of your life. Deactivating your accounts will definitely solve the problem of making poor choices like swiping right late at night on Tinder, but it might not be the best option. Many professions now require social media experience and want you to have a presence on various networks. Also, a lot of job postings and networking is done on social media, so cold turkey may actually harm more than help.

BALANCE THE SCALE

Welcome to being an adult. When it comes down to it, social media is slowly becoming a part of our everyday life. The best way to clean your social media accounts is to not dirty them in the first place. Once something is on the Internet, it’s there to stay, so make sure the stuff your posting isn’t something that would make your grandparents go into shock. That doesn’t mean be all-business all of the time either. Social media is just that, social networking, so let your personality shine. Employers will like to see you aren’t just another Twitter egg. Just remember, like many other aspects of your life, you need to use your accounts responsibly.