This semester I am taking a class called Christ and the Media. I really had no idea what the class was about when I registered for it, but I had heard good things about the professor, so I figured I would give it a shot. As per usual, the first day consisted of going over the syllabus and discussing what all the assignments would be for the semester. All was good until we got to about the fourth page and began to discuss our practicum assignment. This consisted of each student fasting from a form of social media from the second week of classes until Thanksgiving break. When I first read the directions for this, I was not happy. I don't always respond well to others telling me what I should or shouldn't do with my life, and this was one of those times.
So I left class that night all bitter and resentful that I was going to have to give up one of my social medias. At first I thought about giving up one that I hardly ever use like Pinterest, but then I decided that if this is an assignment there must be something great to be learned from it and that I should be serious about it. So during the first week of the September, I decided to give up Instagram. My only guidelines were that I could check it every once in a while for notifications, but other than that, no scrolling or posting.
At first it was weird. You don’t realize how much of a habit something has become until you try to stop. For the first two days I continually had to stop myself from clicking on the app during my free time, but by the end of the week I didn’t even think about it. By about a month in I had pretty much forgotten about it, and now that my assignment is over, I hardly even have a desire to go on it.
I went from resenting this project to being so thankful for it by the end that I decided to fast from Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for Thanksgiving break, only allowing myself to go on to check for notifications or to post something, but, again, no scrolling. The impact that it had on my time at home was unbelievable. Personally, when I look at social media during breaks I find myself admiring at all the things that others are doing on their break and then feeling like my break is lame. Instead of wishing that I was doing something different this break, I was able to simply be present with my family and friends. It also ended up academically being one of the most productive breaks of my college career!
On the drive back to GCC this Sunday, I let myself go on social media once again, and I truly found myself hating it. Other than filling the boring hours we spent on I-80, it really wasn’t doing anything for me. I never realized how pointless it was until taking that week- long break from it. Next time you’re scrolling through social media, think about it. Are you gaining anything from it? Maybe you read a good article or a funny Tweet or find a new recipe, but other than those fairly insignificant things, is it actually worth it?
Now that my assignment is completed and break is over, I don’t plan on deleting my social media accounts, at least for right now, but I definitely realize that I was on it entirely more than I need to. If you’re reading this right now and the thought of fasting from social media makes you feel like I did at the beginning of the semester (bitter, resentful, positive that you don’t need to), then you most definitely should consider it. I promise, it will be a decision you won’t regret.
