I Gave Up Twitter For 3 Months, But Now I'm Back On As If I Never Left
Start writing a post
Student Life

I Gave Up Twitter For 3 Months, But Now I'm Back On As If I Never Left

A cleanse of anything that takes up too much of your time is never a bad idea.

295
I Gave Up Twitter For 3 Months, But Now I'm Back On As If I Never Left
Stock News

With the whole threat of net neutrality recently settling down after threatening to drastically change our online lives, people are enjoying Twitter to its fullest potential. It’s hilarious. Where else can you get sports statistics paired with a GIF atop a Kim Kardashian, Chicago West, Kylie must be pregnant statement followed up by a meme of Gavin, our favorite internet son? Twitter. It’s simple. But how much is too much of a good thing?

Over the summer I was working, interning and taking classes so my time was spread pretty thin. Any free time I had I tried to spend it doing homework or finishing up any work I didn’t get done while I was in the office. Prioritizing my tasks and practicing time management became essential. Thus, paying attention to my time became inevitable.

I was wasting too much time “between tasks” scrolling through my social media feeds, Twitter in particular. So, after talking to my friends about deleting the app, I did. Of course, I could still access the site from my computer but I stayed logged into the company account so I wouldn’t be tempted to check-in on my friends, look at the latest memes or get distracted with an endless number of articles.

It was easier to do than I thought. You get busy, you take care of business, you don’t think about it. Out of sight, out of mind. That is until your friend texts you and says, “did you see the tweet I sent you?”

NO, I DID NOT, AND I WON’T SEE IT FOR TWO AND A HALF MORE MONTHS SO DON’T TALK ABOUT IT.

We’ve become really dependent upon social media. I like the instant gratification of sharing a nice, aesthetically pleasing photo on Instagram of me drinking coffee just as much as the next person. But we’ve become so saturated with consuming content every minute of every day that we can barely put our phones down for the 80 minutes we’re in class.

It’s not necessarily a matter of needing to know the tragic news, but rather the wanting to stay in constant connection and have continued communication with our friends or the our “following.”

Being in the eye of the public is no longer part of the job for people in Hollywood or famous athletes. We hurl ourselves into the eyes of thousands of people a day across many different platforms.

Giving up Twitter for a short time was beneficial because it allowed me to be less distracted when I needed to be professional and on top of everything going on in my life.

But I didn’t have this revolutionary experience of wanting to give up all social media for the rest of my life. I don’t think that’ll ever happen. We’ve grown up in a world where we feel like we need it. We have it for work, we use it to share our content and to keep in touch with people who no longer live 15 minutes away from us. A Twitter cleanse was nice but all in all, it didn’t really change much in the long run. Sure I was more productive for that time but once I got it back I fell back into the routine of checking my feed every free minute I have.

So, a round of applause to the people who still use flip phones on purpose to avoid the nagging of constant social connection, or the people who delete their email app off their phone or even the people who use a real, old-fashion alarm clock. You’re not missing out on too much. Except constant entertainment when you don’t need it and memes (which are actually really great).

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
the beatles
Wikipedia Commons

For as long as I can remember, I have been listening to The Beatles. Every year, my mom would appropriately blast “Birthday” on anyone’s birthday. I knew all of the words to “Back In The U.S.S.R” by the time I was 5 (Even though I had no idea what or where the U.S.S.R was). I grew up with John, Paul, George, and Ringo instead Justin, JC, Joey, Chris and Lance (I had to google N*SYNC to remember their names). The highlight of my short life was Paul McCartney in concert twice. I’m not someone to “fangirl” but those days I fangirled hard. The music of The Beatles has gotten me through everything. Their songs have brought me more joy, peace, and comfort. I can listen to them in any situation and find what I need. Here are the best lyrics from The Beatles for every and any occasion.

Keep Reading...Show less
Being Invisible The Best Super Power

The best superpower ever? Being invisible of course. Imagine just being able to go from seen to unseen on a dime. Who wouldn't want to have the opportunity to be invisible? Superman and Batman have nothing on being invisible with their superhero abilities. Here are some things that you could do while being invisible, because being invisible can benefit your social life too.

Keep Reading...Show less
houses under green sky
Photo by Alev Takil on Unsplash

Small towns certainly have their pros and cons. Many people who grow up in small towns find themselves counting the days until they get to escape their roots and plant new ones in bigger, "better" places. And that's fine. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought those same thoughts before too. We all have, but they say it's important to remember where you came from. When I think about where I come from, I can't help having an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my roots. Being from a small town has taught me so many important lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

Keep Reading...Show less
​a woman sitting at a table having a coffee
nappy.co

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

96068
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments