My Experience with No Social Media for One Week

I deleted all my social media for a week. 

For some teenagers, this can sound impossible. According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 90% of teenagers from the ages 13 to 17 have at least one active social media account. A report by Pew Research Center in 2018 shows that 45% of teens use the Internet “almost constantly” and another 44% said they go online several times a day.

Upon learning this, I decided to reevaluate my daily use of social media to see its impact on my productivity, my procrastination habit, and my mood. Altogether, I wanted to find out if it is a necessary part of my life. 

The first couple days of my break, I noticed I had a lot of newfound free time. I was used to mindlessly scrolling through Instagram in my free time, so in its absence, I did not know what to do instead. 

Despite this extra time on my hands, I experienced FOMO, or fear of missing out. Worried thoughts about being left out of things with my friends raced through my mind. 

I tried to distract myself from my anxiety. Eventually, I made peace with the fact that yes, maybe I will miss out on something. However, giving up social media is not the end of the world. My true friends will be loyal with or without my social media presence. 

By the fourth day, I had gotten more comfortable with the experience. I used my phone mainly to communicate with my friends and family by text or call instead of getting sucked in to the Internet and wasting time.

Because I had more free time, each day, I finished my homework early and either went to bed or did something fun and relaxing. Both made me generally feel happier and more rested. I felt less distracted in school and had more time for my hobbies. 

By the end of the week, I found myself not even missing social media that much. I liked taking a break, and it was nice to not constantly be looking at my phone. Instead of Snapchatting my friends, I talked to them over Facetime, which made me feel much more connected to them. 

I am not saying social media is a bad thing and that teenagers shouldn’t have it. Social media has many benefits. It is a great tool for building connections with others and expressing yourself. However, it can be refreshing to take a break every once in a while, and I strongly recommend it. Doing so can help you better understand the role of social media in your life and maybe even give you a new perspective on your everyday life.