The Social Media Fast.

Last weekend was one of those occasions in college where you feel like everyone has friends but you. Even though I did fun things with my roommates, it still felt like everyone else had a squad and we were utterly alone. We compared our Friday night antics to the pictures of everyone else's shenanigans that we weren't invited to that were plastered on social media. Sitting in a room with a few of my best friends, it was rather depressing to be made friendless by social media. In that moment I realized how true it is when they say that comparison is the thief of  joy.

So, I decided to cut it out. Literally. I'm fasting from social media.. I've removed all social media from my life - for just this one week - to see how it changes my feelings of comparison. 

I'm pleased with how this experiment is playing out. As embarrassing as it is to admit, it's been sort of hard. My fingers have automatically clicked where the Instagram app used to be way too many times. It's scary to see how habitually incorporated social media is in my life.  Despite the few moments of wondering if I was missing any super important news, I'm actually liking the social media-less Alesha. 

I've been more productive -- when I study, i'm actually studying. I'm more friendly because I don't have screen friends to hide behind in awkward situations -- I'm actually trying to talk to others. I'm comparing less and that is making me happy. Overall, I'm happier -- happier with what my plans are, happier with how I look, and happier with what i'm accomplishing. 

It's not realistic to say that I'll be off of social media forever, but I do think it is realistic to say that I will be seriously cutting down the time I spend connected and the value I place on the things I see on the screen.

So cheers (because apparently that is a theme now) to taking a break from social media. If you want to join me, I'll really have no way of knowing unless you tell me in person.

As Always, 
Alesha 

P.S. If I had access to my Instagram, I would've posted this picture. Because #ThisIsMySquad.