Social Media. Whether it's Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter, etc. for the most part, it's in many people’s lives. It was created to connect people, old friends, distant relatives or high school classmates, however over the years that has changed.

Today, social media has become something that consumes precious time. It contains this magnet to the human eye that encourages the idea to refresh the page as if what you saw 10 minutes ago will be different now. The way the phone mysteriously fits within the hand creating this idea that social media, was truly meant to be a part of our lives.

This past year, I decided to take a step back give up all social media for about 3 months. Growing up with the Internet at the touch of a finger, it became challenging, however I managed to push through my urge to pick up my phone.

Through this process I began to learn a lot about myself, and about others. I found out that if I don't check Snapchat Stories, I will live until tomorrow. I also learned that there is so much harm that social media does than good. Not having the Internet in my everyday lifestyle, it became increasingly harder to hold conversations with people as they were glued to their phones. I began to go outdoors more, spend more time with my boyfriend, friends and work. I didn't feel this constant obligation to stay home and look at my feed all night.

However I unfortunately missed out on things. When a family member would reach out on fb, or a friend being deployed, or a death, I didn't see it right away. This, the real reason behind social media, was hidden behind these artificial guidelines that society has created over the years.

In this world we are taught that our phones are our right hands--without technology we would be lost.

Yet I experienced it at first hand, and began to learn, if people want to be a part of your life, they will be in it. Social media shouldn't define who you are. The amount of favorites, likes, retweets, shares, won't determine how fulfilled your life is.

So at the end of the day, you need to ask yourself, was my day worth it? Do I feel like I lived every moment today as if it could have been my last? Because when you sit back, I promise social media won't be in the equation nor will it be with you when you're gone. Love, and live your life to the fullest, that's the main reason I believe we were put here anyways!