When I was in junior high school, platforms like Instagram and Snapchat were just beginning to really take off. Or at least that was when I really got on board. I was immersing myself in screens, and I was the stereotypical grumpy teenager to a T.
One night, my mom told me I had to stop watching Netflix and to do my homework, an order which I promptly ignored. I continued watching the show as soon as she left my room. When she came back forty-five minutes later to see my eyes still glued to the iPad, she was understandably frustrated and my parents decided that a screen-detox was in order. I wasn't allowed to have my phone, use the family laptop, or watch any TV or Netflix for a week. For 14 year-old me, this was absolutely devastating.
I started the week off bitter and annoyed. I was bored all the time and I had to be creative with my activities. I resorted to playing chess and monopoly with my best friend, and I started reading a lot more than I had before. But at the end of the week, I noticed I felt a lot happier. I was more fun to be around and got along with my family better. I snapped less and my irritability reduced significantly. My family commented on this radical change in my mood, but being the stubborn teenager I was, I refused to admit that their punishment had actually benefited me. And I didn't want to give up social media.
For the record, I don't think social media is a negative thing at all. It's a great way to keep up with current events and people's lives, connect with old and new friends and share your experiences with your friends. But everything has to be in moderation. This New Years, I thought a lot about that punishment/experiment and how much better I felt without my extra electronic limb. So on January 1st, 2017 I deleted all my social media.
The boredom felt painful at first. I even cleaned the kitchen at my house one day because I had nothing else to do. Out of habit, I would open my phone every few minutes only to lock the screen again because I realized that I had nothing to look at. I've gradually gotten used to not having the apps, but I still occasionally log on to social media on my computer to check in.
This new age of social media is hard to navigate sometimes. It's important to remember to take a step back and check yourself. The effects of exposure to screen time can be significant. Sometimes even a brief break is more beneficial than you know. This week put me in the habit of checking my apps less and seeing the world around me more.
