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Stop Using Social Media Apps
Delete Instagram First
For years, I prided myself on being someone who never got caught up in the social media frenzy. Throughout school, I didn’t have Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Netflix, or any of the endless list of apps that seemed to define my generation. Snapchat, Tinder, and Bumble — names that were practically a rite of passage for Gen Z and Millennials — never found a place on my phone.
Of course, there was WhatsApp. That one was non-negotiable, especially after the pandemic turned online communication into a necessity rather than a choice. But overall, I lived in a bubble, watching from a distance as my friends scrolled endlessly through their feeds, consumed by a digital world I wasn’t a part of.
I was always aware of the negatives of social media. I had read about its effects — how it hijacks attention, fuels anxiety, and creates an endless loop of comparison. But I told myself that when I got to college, I would finally download Instagram. After all, it seemed like a necessary evil. How else would I stay updated on important events? How else would I stay connected?
And so, I did.
The Illusion of Staying Updated
The first few weeks with Instagram were a mix of curiosity and excitement. I convinced myself I was using it…
