The beginning of this summer left me in a bit of an existential crisis. I was frantically searching for a job, back home for three months, and separated from the people and city that have claimed my heart. Naturally, I decided to become a complete and total social recluse and give up social media for one month. Yolo. I’m admittedly addicted to my cell phone, like most people these days, so going off the grid left my life feeling tragically disordered. I ended up cheating, but for the most part, I valiantly attempted to fast from social media. Keyword being "attempted."
Here are some of my revelations and some occurrences throughout my social media-less month:
1. I suddenly had so much free time.
So. Much. Free. Time. Gone were the hours spent stalking my friend’s cousin’s roommate on Instagram and pinning funny cat pictures on Pinterest. Gone was the periodic and mindless Facebook stalking of people I haven’t talked to since college to see how they’ve changed. More than once, I found myself thinking of a witty tweet, then sighing when I realized I couldn’t go on Twitter to tweet it. As a result, I picked up some new hobbies. I baked. I went the gym. I talked to my family. I stared at the ceiling and questioned my sanity.
2. I didn’t talk to the people I expected to.
Part of the reason I took a hiatus from social media was because I wanted to see who actually cared. It sounds punitive, but I had found myself questioning who was in my life by happenstance and who genuinely cared. Minor existential crises will do that to you. I found that when I wasn’t updating the world on my existence, most people didn’t miss me. Once again, that comes across as being harsh, but I perceived a lack of communication as such. Even two people taking the time to call each other on the phone can be rare in our fast-paced, self-gratifying society. I learned that it takes little effort to comment on an Instagram or favorite a tweet, but a lot more effort to shoot someone a text or, something even rarer, take the time to hang out with them in person. I was surprised by the people who didn’t take the time to reach out to me. For all they knew, I could literally have fallen off the face of the earth.
3. I looked at sunsets through my own eyes instead of through the lens of my iPhone.
They seem even lovelier without the filter and heavy editing from VSCOcam. Trust me on this one.
4. I used my time more efficiently.
This one might be a given, but without the constant distraction of social media, I was able to do what I needed more quickly. I felt less stressed as a result. I’m always stressed, so I was highly astonished when I realized I was actually relaxing for once.
5. I felt freer.
Sometimes the things we cling to the most fiercely in this life turn out to be the most burdensome.
We all have an innate desire to feel loved and wanted, and while receiving comments on a latest Instagram post can be momentarily gratifying, the feeling never lasts. I encourage everyone reading this to take a step back and ask yourself what you’re living for. Are you living for the next rad picture to post or humorous status to make you feel known, or are you walking in the deep assurance that you are already accepted and loved by the One who gave us minds to create tweets and eyes to comprehend sunsets and hands to grasp iPhones?
