Over the years, advancements with technology and communication have been incredible. We can now FaceTime with our loved ones no matter how far away they may be or even Snapchat someone halfway across the world. Technology has always amazed me. I'm not the most tech savvy person, but I'm the typical teen who has a Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. There's always been this question about whether technology and the world of social media is a good or bad thing. We ask ourselves if it consumes us, or if it's just simply there as a way to communicate and connect with those around us. Well, I went a day without social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) and this is what it taught me.
It taught me to spend more time talking with those around me. I caught myself reaching for my phone and pressing my finger where my Facebook app used to be. It amazed me how often I did it, and how bored I would get watching TV or sitting down to eat dinner. I talked more with the people around me in that day than I have in a while.
Not having those apps taught me that there is so much more to life than looking at what everyone else is doing. I can honestly say that sometimes I would get so jealous of other people. I would get on Instagram and see that someone was on vacation, and then I would dread being at home or having to go to work that night. Later on in the day, I realized how thankful I should be. I have a house to come home to, and I have a job where my boss is amazing and I love working with my coworkers.
Not being on social media showed me that there is more to life than "likes." So often I would sit down in front of the TV before work and just scroll through my news feed. Don't get me wrong — I would also golf, hang out with friends and do other things, but being on my phone was a convenient and common occurrence. The day that I didn't have any social media to scroll through, I went on a run. I also helped my mom make dinner, cleaned my room, went to get coffee with a friend and did not look at my phone screen once. I almost forgot that it was even there.
I didn't have a goal when I decided to take a break from social media. I just wanted to see how big of an impact it had on my life, and I was really shocked to see that it was bigger than I had expected. I did things that I hadn't done in a while, and I really enjoyed my day without wondering about everyone else's. While I connect with my friends through these apps, I think it's good to take a day and just learn how to connect with yourself.
