Social Media Cleanse

I quit social media for a week, and to be honest...it felt so good!

I had a lot going on, with two basketball games that week (one against our toughest opponent) I had a Mad Libs program to code on the computer, a Chemistry test, and attempting to find time for friends and family. Although it can be super overwhelming, without Snapchat or Instagram taking up my time and attention, I was able to stay calm and accomplish everything I needed to do.

It surprised me, but I actually got through my “to do” list much quicker, without the weight of social media pulling me down, tempting me to look at one last meme, or post one more picture, and as an added benefit, I got at least an extra hour of sleep than I usually do.

While it’s true that at some points during the week I felt bored because I couldn’t turn to my phone or computer, I learned to sit with that boredom. At first that felt really uncomfortable, but after a little while I realized that it felt nice not to be constantly doing something. When you have this device that gives you endless stimulation, it’s rare to stop and do nothing for a while. We find something to fill every single second of our lives, and fewer and fewer people stop to look at life around them. I felt the sun’s rays on my face. I enjoyed conversations where I was fully focused, whereas before I would have looked at my phone halfway through the conversation. I noticed more about my surroundings, and appreciated time with my friends and my family. In short, I felt happier about life.

I do think there are benefits to social media. It is a very simple and easy way to stay connected to all the people in my life, the ones close by and far away, allowing me to easily see what everyone is up to. It is also a great platform to easily access the news, learn about this vast world and see beautiful pictures of the life that we live.

But, I do think we have let social media control our lives, and have wound up addicted to a thing that has the potential to make us feel worse about ourselves. It makes us feel like we're not good enough, not pretty enough, and that we have to look a certain way to get enough “likes” and “comments.” It makes us feel like we are not social enough or that we don't have enough friends, because everyone else seems to be out while we are not.

Social media gives us a picture that is only partially real and for many users, it can lead to to a distorted view of reality and a loss of self esteem. Throughout this week, I saw none of that, and it helped me feel more confident about myself, and more present in my life. I don’t expect everyone to quit using these platforms, but I would encourage anyone reading this to take some time to  lift up your head and look at the amazing world around you.