I miss the days when you could have a face to face conversation with someone. Not just small talk. It was nice where you could learn about the intelligence of a person, and how they were unique. We are so distracted with being on social media all the time. I am guilty of being on my phone more than I should be, but I want to feel the excitement, of having a conversation with someone when I do not want it to end!

There are positive and negative reasons to have social media accounts, such as Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat. A few positive reasons are that it is easier to keep in touch with friends and family, and you can post photos or videos, that will eventually become memories to look back at. A few negative aspects to having social media accounts are that you can become addicted to being on your phone to keep yourself entertained when bored. According to Fresh U, “A study conducted for online casino Yazino found that one in four people spend more time socializing online, via sites such as Facebook and Twitter, than they do in person. The study also found that even when there is an opportunity to see people face-to-face, on weekends for example, up to 11% of adults still prefer to stay at home and communicate on their devices instead. The study suggests that this could be due to pure laziness, the cost of going out or just not wanting too much personal contact. They just want the convenience of talking online, versus going out .”

Here are some interesting ways to avoid feeling like you need to be on your phone according to Fresh U.

1. Check in on your social media before the party and then put your phone away so it doesn't distract from socializing.

2. Make it into a betting game: try making everyone put their phones away, and the first to give in and use theirs pays for dinner.

3. Post your photos on Instagram or Facebook after the night is over, instead of during the festivities.

4. Make a conscious effort to be present with the people you're spending time with and encourage others to do the same.

This does not mean that you should not have social media accounts anymore. But you should at least reduce the amount of time you spend on them. Spend some time with family, friends, and find a hobby you will enjoy doing in your free time, without being on your phone!