I am a social media junky. I’m the girl that is still on Facebook, scrolls through Instagram again just after closing the app, and sends snaps like they’re going out of style. Although my friends have a presence on social media, they talk a lot about living in the moment. Sometimes it even comes down to going “radio silent” or “off the grid”—essentially they are without their phone. When that happens on a Friday night, it means no pictures are taken or snaps sent. I always thought that was cool. The idea of embracing the moment for what it is, not for what you want it to be, would maybe create long lasting memories. So, I decided to hop on the bandwagon by ditching Snapchat for a week and here’s what happened.
SUNDAY NIGHT, 10 PMI deleted the app and I was excited. From articles I have read and people I have talked to, I heard there was supposed to be this empowering moment after cutting back on your social media presence. Snapchat is my 24/7 source of social media—my go-to for information and now I was without it for a week.
MONDAY MORNINGI was still going strong! No one knew I had deleted Snapchat and therefore no one (including myself) knew I was already out of the loop. That’s when 11:20 a.m. came around. My friend had made me his Snapchat story and told me from across Barone which made me go searching for the app. Clearly it wasn’t there, so I had my friend screenshot the picture and send it to me. Less than 24 hours in and I was probably already cheating.
TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, AND THURSDAYI was bored. I found myself scrolling through my phone at random, looking for things to entertain me. There are only so many times you can scroll through Facebook and Instagram. I was however VERY on top of my email. I was replying quickly and getting organized. I had this idea that all of my assignments would be done early. Unfortunately, deleting the app had not changed my motivation and I still procrastinated.
Throughout the day, I was constantly thinking of snaps to send. I had an interview, so I wanted to send my ~ootd~. On the Today Show, Hoda was the only one drinking wine at 10 a.m. Why was Jenna Bush filling in for Kathie Lee and why was she not drinking wine? I was convinced people not only wanted, but also needed, to hear my social commentary.
The week was coming to an end and it was clear I was out of the loop. At dinner, I picked up my phone. While everyone was looking at a snap stories or talking about a funny snap they received, I checked my email. But, I had already responded to everyone. I felt disconnected and was beginning to become self-conscious of my relationships. It also was affecting my long-distance relationships. I hadn’t really talked to friends that I had checked in with every day for years. I was coming to an understanding of the major impact this app has had on my life and my relationships.
LAST DAYWhen Sunday night rolled around, I couldn’t wait!! I was so excited to re-download and see what I had missed. The time came and it was less exciting than I had imagined it would be. I was invited to a party I didn’t attend because I didn’t see the snap. Also, I no longer had “best friends” on Snapchat, which made me think about who I was really interacting with.
Throughout the week, I came to realize how important communication was in my relationships. It had to extend beyond mass-snaps. Without the app, I spoke and interacted with intent. My friends heard from me because I had something important to tell them, not because I had seen something funny. In deleting the app, I spent some time reflecting. With each snap I wanted to send, I had to think about why I wanted to send it. It was hard to digest, but nine times out of ten it was for attention. I was snapping for a response. I wanted to be acknowledged for how funny I was, what I experienced, and even that I felt good about myself that day. It was more about being accepted and appreciated than it was anything else.
Now that I have the app back, I barely use it. Not because I have come to this major realization that I’m better than it or that I don’t need it to have successful relationships, but because I discovered a lot about myself and in the way I operate. I no longer need to use it. I made a conscious decision to take a step back from Snapchat to think about why I am communicating the way I am. Incorporating more face-to-face conversations, phone calls, and text messages along with snaps reinforces relationships.