Social media has improved our lives in so many ways. From allowing easier and faster communication with friends and family all over the world to being able to learn about news almost as soon as it happens, social media has made everything instant.

Less than a minute after Chloe Kim won an Olympic gold medal, the whole world knew who she was. News sites, Facebook, and other forms of social media instantly exploded with responses to her win. The moment Kendall Jenner steps foot outside a building, the world seems to know where she is.

This is now the norm for our society, and when everyone is so caught up in the whirlwind of information, it’s hard to realize just how much we rely on social media.

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m addicted to my phone and my computer. Without these two devices, I now find it hard to entertain myself or do anything productive. I’m forced to socialize with people physically around me, and turn to books and logic puzzles to pass the time.

The fact that books and puzzles, hobbies that I used to love doing, are now my last choice of time passers made me realize that I was spending too much time on my phone. When I was younger, I would bring books to read and crossword puzzles to solve on the plane. Now, all I bring are my phone, a charger, and a pair of headphones. Easy alternatives to using your phone on the plane include sleeping, bringing a book, or even talking to the stranger next to you.

Sometimes, I give myself a short break in between homework assignments, and I would open YouTube or Instagram or Facebook, intending to look at some memes and watch some light hearted videos. By the second video or meme, I’d be sucked into the world of social media. After 6 puppy videos, an hour long documentary on conspiracy theories, 16 Tasty food videos and 3 vlogs about a stranger’s perfect life, I will look away from my computer screen and realize that instead of sticking to my 20 minute break, 2 hours had passed. If you also fall victim to this phenomenon, then you’re probably addicted too.

To combat this problem, download extensions on your computer that block certain sites that you know you visit too often, or study with a buddy who you know will motivate you. You’ll be amazed by the amount of work you can get done when you’re motivated. It’s always nice to have motivation on a regular basis instead of only the night before a giant assignment is due.

A healthy dose of social media can be relaxing, but too much of it becomes detrimental and can end up adding more stress to your life. If social media is giving you stress, then that’s another sign that you may be addicted. If you zealously track the number of likes you get on each profile picture change or each Instagram upload, that will only bring more stress and low-self esteem.

The purpose of Instagram isn’t to show the world that you live a perfect life - it’s meant to be a platform for sharing images of daily life, food, vacations, and everything and anything in between. So post whatever you want with whatever filter you want, and don’t worry about what other people will say! Just because you used a slightly different filter ratio on one picture that doesn’t mean your Instagram content quality decreases, nor does that somehow make you any lesser of a great human being.