Earlier this year, I met someone who said they didn’t “do” social media, which basically meant they were impossible to internet stalk and that instead of spending their free time on the countless blue apps that exist on a normal person’s phones, they spent their free time doing … well, I never asked that, but you get the picture.
The mentality of social media as a waste of time began to resonate with me, though. According to my phone, I was spending 3.5+ hours on it every day, which is a ton of time! So, I began thinking about what would happen if I stopped using social media. Was it plausible? Heck, half of my contact with others is through Snapchat chats, Facebook Messenger and DMs on Twitter.
However, it’s not like our parents spent their young adult lives sharing tweets or liking Instagram pictures. If they could do it, then I could — right?
I set out with the goal of not using social media for five days — or 120 hours, #socialmediahiatus. Without telling many of my friends, I turned off the notifications of all my apps (Snapchat, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, VSCO, GroupMe, Messenger — you get the picture) on Sunday night at 9:42 p.m. so I wouldn’t be tempted when I woke up the next morning to see what had happened while I was asleep.
Here is what I learned:
- Social media is an addiction
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I woke up Monday morning and instantly reached for my phone to open those pesky social media apps. However, I had to stop myself. Without anything to look at on my phone, I felt forced to get out of bed right away and was even five minutes early to work.
The rest of the week it became a part of my routine to not open my phone. I would check to see if I had a text message, and if I didn’t, I wouldn’t touch my phone until I was in my car and wanted to turn on Spotify.
With not using social media, I began to realize how much my friends — and everyone else — were on their phones. Try standing in the Starbucks line and not check your social media. I actually experienced anxiety by not being able to check my social media apps. I felt tense and restless — at first. However, by the end of the week, I felt relaxed, recharged and ready to take on the world.
- There is a lot of FOMO — at first — and a lot of crazy thoughts
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What if I get invited to the best party ever on Facebook and miss it? What if that one boy messages me and thinks I am ignoring him? What if a celebrity slides into my DMs and professes their love for me?
Crazy thoughts, yes, but did these three thoughts after typing them down for this article make me think twice and want to check all of my social media? Yes. Did I though? No.
If the people contacting you through social media apps actually know — and care about — you, they will reach out through a text once they notice you have not responded. I promise because that is exactly what happened to me. Social media apps go down all the time and are not the most reliable, so if what they are trying to tell you through social media is that important, they will either text or call you.
Overall, I realized you are not missing out on anything too important. So what if one of my best friends posted a bomb Instagram photo? Being social is not limited to social media. Besides, in-person interactions and commenting on how great your friend looks *in person* are way better anyway.
- You realize who you are actually in real contact with
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As said above, if they are only contacting you through social media, they probably do not hold that big of a space in your life. One of my friends noticed I wasn’t active on social media after not opening a Snapchat, so they texted me about it and told me why they snapped me. Others who I ignored on Snapchat for the week never sent me a text — because we aren’t in real, consistent, meaningful contact.
- There is a lot of time in the day — utilize it
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Everyone is busy, and not using social media gives you back four, five, six hours of your day. While I just turned my notifications off of all my apps (because I do not know the passwords and didn’t want to deal with that after the week was done), if you still feel tempted, get rid of the apps completely.
How much could you conquer if you weren’t on social media? I was able to find a whole extra hour for working out, more time to prep meals and even more time to hang out with my friends and feel present the whole time.
- Social media is annoying
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Yes, I said it. Social media is annoying. We spend our free time behind a screen watching the lives of people we barely know and comparing ourselves to others, and for what?
Social media is also a root for jealousy, whether it be of the people on the screen or someone you are interested in seeming more interested in what is on their screen rather than you.
Overall, it is just annoying to be around someone who can barely make eye contact with you as you have a conversation because they are too busy retweeting and liking Instagram photos.
