In a world of all-consuming, personalized social media feeds, I often feel like days are wasted by continuing in endless scrolls through Instagram and TikTok. Short-form media is so intoxicating that many get sucked into our phones while putting off other responsibilities. I, for one, have often used the excuse of using “phone time” as a way to recharge between events, instead of potentially more healthy ways such as taking a walk or participating in a hobby.
While I have deleted TikTok and limited Snapchat use over the years, Instagram has quickly taken over the majority of my weekly screen time through reels and looking over feeds. That is why I decided it was time for a change, and committed to staying off Instagram for a week to see how I would instead fill my small pockets of time without this app. Throughout — and even after — the week, I learned a lot about myself.
Full disclosure: I had Mono during this period so with so much free time, so I was just constantly on my phone. One Thursday night when my friends were getting ready to go out, I decided I wasn’t going to just sit on my phone and wait to get better so I could join them, but I was going to find a better way to fill my time.
When I told them my plan they literally asked “Sophia, why would you delete Instagram?” While this seems like a silly question, it’s valid because we get so much information from the app about pop culture, world news, and our friends. They warned me I might become out of the loop, and honestly, I was okay with that. My journalism background always made me suspicious of getting news through social media, so my first small change was to start taking advantage of my free New York Times subscription through UCSB! I began to start every morning by reading “The Morning” NYT newsletter that gets sent to my email; then I dive into stories that interest me, and I began to feel a sense of pride by knowing more about what is going on in our crazy world.
So, reading the news became one way that I could fill my time. Another way was just doing my assignments. I had an essay due at the end of the next week that I needed to do well on (turns out Mono and midterms aren’t a great mix), and prepping for my paper ahead of time allowed me to meet with my TA and ensure that I was on the right track. I ended up getting an A!
In terms of entertainment, I finished a book in two days and started a new show. I highly recommend “The Last Thing He Told Me” by Laura Dave and “Scandal” if you were curious. I feel like having a primary form of entertainment that takes up more time — like a 45 minute show — allows me to be more productive with my assignments since I can’t take little breaks to scroll, but instead have to fully commit to reading or watching which can only happen after I am done with my work.
During my little “challenge,” I closely monitored my screen time information. Typically, I spend a combined two hours on Instagram throughout the day. Wow — I’m really exposing myself here! Anyway, during my week without social media, my most used app was Messages (followed by Block Blast). I loved how being off social media got me to reach out and text people more. Sending reels and funny posts to friends is a nice way to stay connected online, but I realized that I had more meaningful connections when my only option was to text.
After the week was over, I was glad to have Instagram back just so I could see what people were up to. My hometown had just had prom and decision day, so it was nice to see how that went. However, I also started unfollowing a lot of people I realized I didn’t really know. I realized that with Instagram being such an idealized platform, actually knowing the people I follow is important so that I can appreciate what people post, but also recognize that there is more going on in their lives behind the screen.
So, if you are looking for a sign to take a break from social media: here it is! Even a short week of being off your phone as much will leave you realizing much more about yourself. Personally, I might try and do this “experiment” every few months or so. Good luck!