I remember crying so hard I couldn’t speak. My mom, on the other side of the phone, was shocked: “…but Michigan is your dream school honey, I don’t understand.” And it was. Yet, I was so painfully miserable my entire freshmen year. So much so that I applied to three schools to transfer. Making the 2,000-mile move from California to Michigan without knowing anyone was difficult enough – however, it wasn’t the distance that had me crying to my mom and begging her to let me transfer. I developed a habit I couldn’t pull myself away from. Whenever I had free time, whether on the bus, between classes, or before bed, I would mindlessly scroll through Instagram’s explore page. One little app became toxic, like an infection invading every aspect of my life. Subconsciously, by consuming others’ social media pages, I compared every aspect of my own life to other constructed virtual lives. I was transfixed on the idea that people were happier at other schools. It came to a point where I would compare my real, developing friendships to a façade of friend groups posted online. The few days that I would be happy and start to feel like I’m in the right place would be obliterated by the comparisons I’d make to strangers I see on a quick scroll or swipe.
We all know that Instagram portrays a false reality. We’ve heard this millions of times. But how often do we truly listen to that? How often, instead, are we left feeling insecure, lonely, and upset after consuming mass amounts of social media? A year later I can say confidently that I am so unbelievably happy. Like any other bad habit, I had to combat it by adding healthy habits to my life. Personally, I learned to live in the moment. And it changed my life. By doing this, I was not persuaded by deceiving social media presences. I also taught myself how to create healthy digital behaviors. Here are some tips on how to create these healthy digital behaviors and live in the moment:
Practice gratitude
Give yourself a reality check before and after logging on to your social media accounts. You could do this by something as simple as writing down 30 things you are grateful for. Similarly, you can take time to remind yourself of all the real, healthy relationships you have with people you love. Reflect on everything you feel lucky to have. Attending the University of Michigan, for example! Once I counted my blessings, I was so content with my own life I didn’t even think to compare it to others.
Appreciate nature
Immersing yourself in nature makes it easy to see the big picture of life in general. Take a walk in the Arb! Plan a trip to a place you’ve never been! Escaping from society even for an hour creates inner peace. In May, I went on a surfing trip with my best friend for two weeks, traveling Hawaii without social media. I was surrounded by people who had traveled the entire world and had insane stories to share about their experiences. It made me realize how pointless broadcasting your life online is and how unnecessary it becomes once you are truly happy.
Take technology breaks
Disconnect! Challenge yourself to see how long you can stay offline. I deleted all my apps off my phone for a week last semester. For example, when I took photos, it was not to post but rather to capture the moment I was residing in. It was liberating and challenged me to really be present.
Spend time with your passions
Look to do something positive every day. Personally, I love to write and read so practicing what I love makes me feel good about myself. Whatever it is that you love, make an effort to do it every single day, whether that is an art, a sport, or a form of creation. This is “exercise for the soul.”
Surround yourself with genuine people
Quality over quantity! Work on getting closer and improving your relationships with your friends. Having a strong support system is the key to inner peace and happiness. Expand your circle. Talk to the person next to you in class! We go to a school with 45,000 students, don’t forget that. There are so many opportunities to branch out.
Long story short, I almost transferred because of Instagram. I would have made the worst mistake of my life simply because my unhealthy digital behaviors. Those five tips changed my life and taught me to live in the moment. I hope they can do the same for you as well.
Images courtesy of: NBC News and Pinterest