According to the Taking Stock With Teens survey, 82% of teens in the United States use an iPhone. With the growing popularity of Apple products, teens can only be expected to continue to follow trends.
I'm guilty.
I desired to follow this trend just because everyone else is. But when you follow the herd on every life choice, negativity haunts you around every corner.
Leaving it behind could be the only way to save yourself from the downward spiral dragging you away from reality.
I deleted my social media
Back in high school, I chose to give up social media for Lent. The first week was the hardest and my friends that decided to do it with me fell through the cracks quickly. I started to realize how often I reached for my phone just as a cure for an awkward situation. But as I stopped reaching for my iPhone, I started to feel better about myself and how communicating with people may just not be as scary as you think. Because of this, I became more aware of my surroundings.
My productivity improved and I started to understand the difference between what was actually important in my life and what wasn't. I suddenly had more time to enjoy life and explore the world around me. I didn't scroll before bed and end up staying up an hour later than intended.
I also realized that the iPhone is a space filler for how boring life could be. People have always found ways to pass time, but today the most convenient way is in your back pocket. Without the burden, I was happy.
Probably happier than I had been in any recent moments in my life.
I am someone who is typically stubborn with strong willpower. I tend to avoid desserts and sometimes I eat healthier than my college counterparts. I was always afraid of the "freshman 15," but I really should've been scared of the "smartphone five" — the five hours American teens spend on their mobile devices on average every single day.
We have become so afraid of missing out and not living our lives to the fullest when all we do is sit with a screen in front of our face. And in case you forgot: This screen is the same one that shows you a hot, smart, nice, and funny girl who looks impeccable in a bikini winning love from the perfectly jacked athlete who loves to surf in his free time.
And if that doesn't ever make you feel like you're not good enough, pretty enough, or perfect enough — Congratulations, you're winning a game where materialism and desire run your every move.
I was losing.
I was consistently disappointed by who I was. I constantly wondered if I could ever be as good as the girl on the screen. My friends were concerned about the exact same things as we sent pictures in group chats for each other's opinions before posting it.
That is why I now only have one app on my phone (besides the somewhat annoying ones you can't delete). And for those who still love the occasional scroll through Twitter or have groups on Facebook — you can just simply delete the apps from your phone to prevent the pointless scroll throughout the day.
Make an environment where your bedroom is the place where you actually sleep and Facebook is left on your laptop out in the living room. And for those of you who think it is impossible to go without the games on your phone — opt for music.
If you're so stressed, then why do you reach for the things that can only stress you out more? If you think I am wrong about games stressing you out, you should see how my friends(and probably your friends) get so heated playing "Fortnite" mobile or "Candy Crush."
In the end, I guess we can say that it isn't just social media, it's also the games and easy accessibility to a world beyond ourselves that distracts from just how great life can be. I understand that mobile news and globalizing our ideas or maybe even sharing a picture of your niece or nephew is important.
You can still do that.
You can still explore the digital world around you. You just need to remember to remove your vulnerability and to put down your mobile device from time to time to touch reality.
For sometimes reality is the only concept that keeps us sane.
