WAIT! What you should do before deleting your Facebook account

(WXYZ) - You're applying to college, or for a new job and there are some photos better left unseen.

Or maybe you just can't take one more status update from your ex.

Either way, you're ready to delete your Facebook account but you'll soon realize, escaping the social media giant can be a lot more difficult than you think.

Before deleting your account, consider deactivating. You can deactivate at any time and when you return, everything will be just as you left it.

In the meantime, other Facebook users won't be able to search for you or view your profile.

If you still want to delete it, download your Facebook information first.

Facebook records all of your activity; shared posts, messages, photos and conversations. And they created an easy way for you to download and store all that data.

Simply go to your Account Settings, click 'General,' then 'Download a copy of your Facebook data,' and finally 'Start My Archive.'

Lastly, ask for contact information.

Reach out to your Facebook friends to let them know you're leaving. Request and email address or phone number to keep in touch. Plus, ask for their birthday, because without Facebook's reminders, it's hard to keep track!

Just remember, once you hit delete your account is gone... forever.