Ironically, the media talks a lot about the importance of reducing screen time. It feels like it’s a concept we hear about often, especially from those who didn’t grow up in the era of social media. Parents and teachers often poke fun at social media use or mimic teens’ usage of Snapchat lingo, saying they “left someone on delivered” or something of the sort. It’s a message I personally feel like I hear nonstop, but I often fail to grasp its deeper significance. I can objectively report that I understand my continuous social media scrolling is detrimental, but the message is often lost on me as I switch to Pinterest or some other form of interactive media. Even scrolling endlessly through my camera roll can become a tempting form of media stimulation to replace my fiendish online tendencies.  Â
As I’ve gotten to college, my traditional social media usage of the past, which included platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok, has actually decreased a bit. Especially as a sophomore, I often find myself using the Messages app to communicate with friends instead of Snapchatting them. In terms of Instagram and TikTok, admittedly I could be better… but I would still say I have improved significantly from my old high school scrolling habits. However, my partial-retirement from overusing certain apps has brought on a new obsession with other platforms. I call these “grown-up” social media apps: LinkedIn, Gmail, even GroupMe and Slack—apps used to communicate with clubs and student organizations.Â
I often find myself waking up and subconsciously checking all of these apps. This act in itself isn’t horrible… Until I do the same thing five minutes later while brushing my teeth. It’s unnecessary. I’m not even waiting for a certain email. Just the underlying idea that I could have an unread email is enough to cause me to act like this. I just refreshed my Gmail, I don’t need to do it again. Rather pathetic if you ask me.
Upon further introspection: This seems kind of unhealthy? I’ve replaced one media vice with another! I’m working on it.Â
Luckily, I’ve simultaneously realized a different (yet related) construct: Peace in forced offline spaces. Offline spaces aren’t necessarily created by silencing my phone when I’m studying or in class—when I’m not supposed to be using my phone. I’m referring to spaces where I literally do not have my phone for a short period of time. Seriously, I’m not allowed to use it, and I also don’t have it. It’s kind of like a technology cleanse, except I have to do it and it’s relatively brief. For me, examples of these spaces are the preschool I volunteered at for 2.5 hours every Monday last semester where I had to focus on the kids for the entirety of the shift. Or the lab I’m a research assistant for where I have to remain attentive throughout an entire participant time slot. As a tour guide, I find the 75 minute campus tours to be an offline space. I also find workout classes to be offline spaces, as I tend to frequently check my phone throughout my personal workouts at the gym. Even summer jobs where I can’t use my phone during shifts are oddly refreshing, due the long stretches where I can’t check my phone. All of these things can be overwhelming in a different way I suppose, but my mind nevertheless feels refreshed in a unique way after these brief media detoxes. These are just some of my personal examples, but everyone’s “offline spaces” can look different.
The common theme between each of these different spaces is that I’m attentive and present during them. Without realizing it, I’m allowing myself to engage with my surroundings without mediated distractions. Technology can inadvertently be overstimulating. Going on any type of social media not only exposes users to constant messaging, but also advertisements and news stories which they did not plan to see. Personally, I find myself getting subconsciously hooked and distracted by the overload of information presented on these apps. I even find that going on my phone to switch a song or select a new playlist can be overstimulating if I begin tapping through other parts of the music apps. However, my main struggle is catching myself compulsively checking all of these apps in increments—just minutes apart. My point is not to abandon social media altogether, or even at all. It is more so about being mindful of the time spent completely off of your phone, because it may be more beneficial to your mental wellness than you think.