On Saturday, July 11th, I “unplugged” for the whole day (24 hours) to see what my life would be like without social media. Growing up in the 21st century being online has always been something everyone was a part of. After some thought, I came to the conclusion that I did not know what life without social media was like. On average, 13-17 year olds spend over 4 hours a day on social media. Now, the real question is, is living without social media really worth the sacrifice?
For the duration of the day I went without my computer, apps, headphones and any video streaming service. This is what happened:
During my day without technology and the basic day to day social media, I noticed something quite small. As I walked my dog on a usual summer morning I was surprised at the amount of people that smile at you. It does seem unsubstantial at first but the simple joy and connection between two strangers can be explained in a quick ‘Hello’ and nod. Interaction between persons was what I missing everyday. I was so caught up on what was going on, on the internet that I lost touch with others that I passed by everyday. Normally when I grab my coffee from the closest cafe, I return to my seat and might even tweet about the awesome coffee I received from the barista. That day I told her that it was amazing and we chatted for a couple minutes. Now, from social media I could have received comments or favourites about my coffee but actually living the experience made my day a little bit better. Also I would hope that the barista gained a bit of happiness at her job because I spared some time to make her work feel useful and to me doing that feels so much better than getting the likes.
Now I am not suggesting that you should completely get rid of social media. It plays a part in sharing your creativity to those who are interested. Here are my top 5 tips for those who want to live offline a little bit more:
- Stop asking for the WiFi password in restaurants. Enjoy the company and food without taking a picture of your meal.
- Call your friend. End the stream of endless texting. Sum up your conversation in a 15 minute phone call, don’t be afraid of not having something to say.
- Enjoy the entertainment around you. It is not always about getting the best photo for Instagram. Watch the fireworks, observe the dancers and enjoy the concert. No need to view the show through your phones camera.
- Stop worrying about missing the internet trends. In a week nobody will care if you haven’t seen the latest video or know about Kim Kardashian’s latest makeup trick. Don’t get caught up in the need to know everything on the internet.
- Leave your phone on the counter during dinner. You would be surprised on what stories your parents might have to share with you. Facebook can wait till later!
Living online, you would be surprised on what you miss if you just logged off.
xo, Sarah