Quit Social Media Just in Time for Finals

Every day, I wake up and do my morning routine.

Yes, of course, I brush my teeth, wash my face and attempt to make my hair look presentable, but what comes before all that, before I even try to drag myself out of bed?

Social media.

Don’t even lie to me, guys. We all do it. We wake up to our obnoxious alarm that sounds like it came straight from hell, grip the phone in our hands and habitually open our apps one by one: Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, VSCO, and, if you’re feeling extra social, maybe even Facebook. 

Though I can’t remember when it started, social media has been part of my morning routine forever. But, in recent months, it’s become part of my nighttime routine as well. And my afternoon routine, between class routine, after shower routine, etc., etc.. 

It seemed like every chance I got I was looking at my stupid phone, and I was bothered. But, hey, everyone does it, right? No big deal.

… 

A couple of weeks ago I woke up, but I didn’t start my routine with Twitter or Instagram. Instead, I picked up my phone, turned off my alarm and went straight to settings and clicked “Screen Time.”

I scrolled down to “Social Networking,” anxious about the numbers I was about to see. 

And for good reason.

My average daily screen-time that week had been upwards of 4.5 hours, with social media alone just a little less than two. I clicked my phone off. I was embarrassed. 

I told my boyfriend about it, and he encouraged me to delete the apps. I’m pretty sure I laughed at him. I could never!

But then I thought about it some more, and some more, and some more, and eventually I was thinking about it every time I picked up my phone (which, as I’ve proven, is a lot I guess), and I decided to give it a try. 

Listen, I didn’t think I was addicted to social media until I went to delete all of it. I held down on the Instagram app and it started to toggle. I went to press the tiny little ‘x’ in the top left corner and tried to find a reason not to click on it. But, alas, I had no justification, so away they all went. 

I challenged myself on a trial basis; I would allow myself to redownload them in a week if I felt I’d done well. I lasted approximately 26 hours before logging in to tweet something. Yikes.

There have been a few failed attempts so far, but I’m getting better. I promise. 

Sometimes I find myself picking up my phone to check apps that are no longer there, but for some reason ingrained in my mind. Breaking any habit, even a popularly accepted one is not easy.

Right now is the perfect time to quit social media, or at least take a break. We’re on the homestretch, ya’ll. Take time to study for finals, and use your free time to let your brain breathe instead of looking at your phone screen.

Quitting your beloved apps hurts so bad but feels so good. 

Here are a few reasons you should try ditching social media:

1. It creates a culture of comparison.

Social media, particularly Instagram, has proved terrible for your self-esteem. In fact, there’s a piece by Time titled “Why Instagram Is The Worst Social Media For Mental Health”…so yeah, it’s pretty serious. Because the platform is based on image alone, our competitive human nature compels us to compare ourselves to those we see online, resulting in all kinds of mental health issues. We don’t need that on top of all our other stresses. 

1. It’s a waste of time.

Go read or something. Ride your bike, clean your room, write some poetry. Whatever floats your boat and makes you feel relaxed or creative! I promise it’ll be more productive and fulfilling than lying in bed scrolling. 

1. Creates jealousy.

I was talking to my roommate who recently deleted her social media accounts, and I asked her what made her do so. She said that sometimes she’d get major FOMO, or wish she was doing something someone else was doing. “Seeing pictures of girls posted up in front of a boat or a beach the week before finals while I’m here studying sucks. Like, why isn’t that me, you know?” I mean, can’t really disagree with that frustration, but there’s a simple solution: Quit looking at it!

1. ADDICTIVE.

Being reliant on a few apps to get you through an awkward party or political discussion with your family is one thing, but if you find yourself unable to look away, we might have a problem. Try taking a break; if it doesn’t seem hard for you, great! But if it does, we’ll get through our withdrawls together. 

Let’s break this unhealthy culture, ladies. We got this!