Don’t get me wrong, I love social media. I am on my phone CONSTANTLY. Does your doctor ask you how much time each day you spend looking at a screen? I never want to lie, because lying is bad, however I feel embarrassed to tell them how many hours I spend on social media.
Truthfully, I don’t know the exact number but it definitely adds up during the day. Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter…the list of apps is endless. I know, I know…too much screen time is bad for your eyes and your general health, but it’s nearly impossible to cut screens out of our lives, especially in college. How the heck am I supposed to limit my screen time when I have online homework assignments and Powerpoints to read on the daily?
Photo Courtesty of Unsplash
Kids aren’t the only ones who have been affected by the social media epidemic. As much as adults and parents deny it, they’re obsessed with screens too! Social media is the easiest way for people to brag and complain. Parents brag about their kid’s accomplishments and milestones on Facebook. Teens post on Instagram to show off their scandalous outfits from last night’s party. Adults post on their local Facebook group page complaining about the construction going on down the street. The list goes on and on.
Social media apps could’ve been made for those uses, I guess, but to me, they were created so that we could meet new people and reconnect with old friends you haven’t seen in a long time. My grandma, age 72, has a Facebook account. She rarely posts, but when she does it is usually just to wish someone a happy birthday. The main reason my family and me set her up on Facebook was so that she could see everything her family back in Italy is up to. That’s what social media is meant to do.
Could you even imagine a world without social media? I most certainly cannot. It has become a habit, a part of our everyday life. Sometimes I wish we didn’t have any of it. We’ve become so accustomed to it that I think most people would barely survive without being able to take out their phone and check Facebook on a work break or between classes. Go ahead, try and picture not having your go-to apps. It’s hard isn’t it? Your life just seems so boring without it, but then again, it could be for the better.