I challenge you to a dare this spring break.
I promise it isn't risky or life-threatening. There are no negative consequences that come from it. You're not going to get in trouble with the law as a result. It could be beneficial and enhance your spring break experience.
What is this challenge anyway? Well, here it is:
Don't go on social media over spring break.
I know what you all may be thinking: why in the world would we not want to go on social media? Spring break is the prime time to post and scroll through social media, what's the harm? Before we get brash, let's hear my side of the story first. It may help you out.
Comparing yourself to others isn't going to make you any happier.
When we log onto Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, or Twitter, our feeds are going to be blowing up with everyone we know on their trips. Your best friends may be in Fort Lauderdale, that person you despised in high school might be in Europe or in the Caribbean, and acquaintances may be on service trips such as Alternative Spring Breaks or Medical Brigades. Although you may be fond of these people, you may grow jealous of where they are at.
You might think: I bet they're having the time of their lives; I wish I was where they were; my life isn't as perfect as theirs is. When we scroll through social media, it is normal to have negative thoughts go through our minds when seeing other people's lives. But, comparing yourself to another person isn't going to make you happier. In fact, it's going to make you feel worse. Life is too short to waste feeling sorry for yourself.
Nobody wants to deal with someone who brags about their trip every second of the day.
It is one thing to highlight a trip, but it is another to spend the entire time posting things online. We get it, you are financially able enough to go on these trips, and that's great. But, I don't want to open my browser with photos of the same person every five minutes. Personally, it seems very shallow and self-absorbed.
Also, it seems as if people want to impress everyone back home. It's a common saying in our generation of college students that we are tired of the people around us, and we want a change of scenery. What we do in reality is quite contradictory. Taking a bikini shot and posting it so Chad from Lamba Beta Feta Cheese can see it isn't going to do anything for you; he isn't going to like it until weeks later anyway, or maybe not even like the photo altogether. What's the point of getting away if your mind is back home?
You may miss what's in front of you.
Whenever I go on social media, my original intentions are this: Oh I have time. It'll only take me a few minutes. But, then I realize that 45 minutes have gone by and that is time wasted. I could have been doing something else with that time. That is the time that I never can get back. I wouldn't want someone else to do the same with their lives.
When you're on your phone during an entire trip, you may miss what's in front of you. Looking down at your phone can prevent you from enjoying what's going on. Look up for once, and put your phone in your back pocket. It may surprise you how freeing and liberating it is. You may be able to witness something that you never will be able to ever again in your entire life.
Will you know that? Absolutely not. But, you will never know if you keep staring down at a screen or through a camera lens. Avert your eyes from the blue light to the natural light. It'll help you embody yourself into your vacation. You may enjoy it more, and the memories will be richer.
Your phone battery life won't last long.
I don't know about Androids, but for iPhones, social media apps take up a lot of battery life. This happens especially when I have multiple apps open at the same time. If I'm opening, closing, and reopening the same things for hours on end, my battery life on my phone may be low-- it may even die on me if I'm that hypnotized. If you're on your phone 24/7, you may end up in the same situation.
When you're traveling, sometimes chargers and outlets aren't as accessible as they are back home. This may be a safety risk depending on what your spring break itinerary entails, where you are, and what kind of company you are keeping. It is extremely important to be able to have enough battery life on your cell phone in case something happens. Be safe, and save your battery life. In fact, whenever you know you're not going to have access to a charger or an outlet, charge your phone beforehand to be proactive.
Follow these tips, and your spring break trip may be the best one ever. I'm guilty of all of the above things, so I'm trying to give some advice from personal experiences. I'm going to engage in this challenge myself as well.
Put the phone down for once, enjoy this life in the moment.
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