To explore the effect of active social media use (ASMU) on the mechanisms of flow experience (FE), 433 questionnaires incorporating an active social media use scale, academic self-efficacy (ASE) scale, and flow experience scale were collected from college students. This study is expected to enrich flow experience theory and provide a foundation for follow-up studies. The theoretical model for this study analyses positive social media use as an independent variable, flow experience as a dependent variable, and academic self-efficacy as an intermediary variable. Relevant data were collected via questionnaires. Subsequently, linear regression analysis was used, and the PROCESS v3.3 statistical tool of SPSS 23.0 software was used to process and analyze data. This study found that active social media use had a significant and positive impact on the flow experience. Additionally, active social media use had a significant and positive impact on academic self-efficacy.