If you are a college student in 2019, you are probably no stranger to social media apps like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter. Even if you do not post on every single social media app out there, you might have even created an account to see what all the hype is about. In fact, some college classes even require students to use platforms like Twitter or LinkedIn for a grade.
Social media and the internet connects people in ways television, radio, newspapers and other traditional media cannot, and while the internet is full of laughs, social media is no joke. Some 88 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds indicate that they use any form of social media, according to Pew Research Center in a 2018 study on social media use. If you find yourself on social media more often than not, you are not the only one.
Tapering your social media usage is a good way to quit it once and for all. Limit yourself to two hours a day of Instagram time (or whatever time limit you feel appropriate) and as time goes on, make that limit smaller and smaller. Take advantage of your phone’s screen time limit and force yourself to stay off apps. Seeing how much time you spend on particular apps can be a rude awakening.
Better yet, deleting the apps entirely off of your phone can help you resist the temptation. When you are finally ready to let go, making a final goodbye post can help you find some closure. However, quitting is not feasible for everyone, not to mention that social media is actually fun when you are not stressing over it.
Like everything, social media is OK in moderation. Do not use social media when you are in class, when you are on a date; when you are hanging out with friends; or when you are spending time with family. Concentrating on the moment and enjoying things for what they are can improve how you feel about your life. You will enjoy life much more when you are not trying to take a perfect Instagram photo to post later.
Remember that social media is not real life. Posting photos of breakups, parking tickets or bombed quizzes does not equate to an exciting online presence. If you are having personal issues and bad hair days, chances are that a supermodel is too. She is just not posting about it. Life is not a race or a contest. Do not let social media convince you that it is. Social media should be about spreading joy and making connections. Do not let it get in the way of living your real life.
Sincerely,
The ShipTalker
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