Trying to Avoid Social Media

Social Media is a key binding factor in today’s world; for better or worse people are more connected today than they’ve ever been. My generation is one that was brought up on the technological shift of the 21st century. I distinctly remember pagers, corded house phones, TV’s that weren’t flat, Aim, and even VHS tapes, things that would be phased out by newer and sleeker devices. So long story short I lasted about an hour or so after class finished Tuesday, before I mindlessly started scrolling through my Instagram feed. I don’t necessarily think its an obsession on my part, but rather a habit. As a Biology student I’ve conditioned myself to study with short gaps of free time in between cramming, normally rather than surf the web on my laptop or play video games, I simply kill the time on my phone. Also as a New Yorker with lengthy commutes on public transportation I find myself with tons of idle time on a daily basis. Now I mostly listen to podcasts and news feeds, but I usually end up on apps like Reddit or Twitter, trying to catch up on word events and pop culture respectively. Now this habit does extend to when I with people I’m able to talk to; family, friends, and etc. I don’t pull out my phone in the middle of a date and scroll through it, cause that’s just asking for trouble. Like all habits there are acceptable circumstances to be on social media, mostly when an individual is bored or in a situation with no pressing stimuli. Social media is filler, essentially what happens between the interesting or stressful parts of our days, the equivalent of a scene transition in film. So in a sense it’s not inherently evil, but moderation is key. Like drinking and smoking is is possible to have a social media intake that’s exceedingly high. Now in regards to an individual such as my self, who is in a constant state of stress, that it’s my baseline mood I think that is not a debilitating addiction, more of a mindless thing I do. The electronic equivalent of cracking your knuckles.