A little over a month ago, after dealing with some personal issues, I decided to delete social media. I didn’t delete my accounts, but I did delete Instagram, Tik Tok, Snapchat, and VSCO from my phone. And although I made this choice in a time of upset and frustration, it turned out to be a choice I have continued to stick with and plan on sticking with for a while.
You don’t realize how much time you really spend scrolling on social media until you don’t have it anymore. And boy was it a shock to me when I didn’t have anything to scroll through after deleting the apps on my phone. In the beginning, I found myself just staring at my home screen wondering what to do with myself. How was I going to occupy myself when class got boring? Or when there was an awkward lull in conversation? What was I going to look at before bed? So much of my free time, likely hours each day, was consumed by scrolling on social media doing nothing other than comparing my life to that of other people. Without these apps on my phone, I had no choice but to fill this free time with other things.
Reflecting on how frequently I turned to scrolling to fill my free time, I decided to use that time in a more productive way. Being a college student, I have used some of that time to get ahead on homework. But I also have used the opportunity to do more things for myself. I started to journal, allowing myself to digest and reflect on my feelings. I have been picking up the books that I had started reading but had put down when school started. I go to bed earlier and prioritize staying healthy. I am spending more time with my friends and family. And for only having had this routine for a month, I have already noticed positive changes.
Throughout this time, I have been so much more productive in terms of staying on top of my schoolwork and my commitments both on and off campus. I am less stressed, more organized, and have better learned how to manage my time. But more importantly, I have noticed positive changes within myself. By using my free time in the way I have been, I have learned so much about myself. I am determining what activities make me happy, what relationships I most value and how to better navigate my feelings. I feel more confident, which is a feeling that I think social media could take away from me at times. Similarly, I have been more content and at peace with my life given I am not constantly comparing mine with other people’s. Everyday, it is getting easier to answer the ever-changing question of who I am.
Prior to this decision, I was very present on social media. I was constantly taking pictures for my Instagram and checking Snapchat group chats. If someone had told me that I would be happier without these apps, I probably would not have believed them. And although it wasn’t the best of circumstances that led me to my decision, it is a one that I am glad I made. I feel that I continue to grow with each minute that I spend focusing on myself rather than scrolling, and this self-growth is much more valuable than any number of likes.