I’m deleting my social media.
I have decided to delete my social media.
These days, I often find myself mindlessly scrolling through Instagram or TikTok and it’s just not making me happy. There’s always some kind of drama going on, an influencer trying to sell you something that creates toxic fumes and I am just bored.
There used to be a thrill to social media, but it’s just become the everyday norm. Like a lot of people, I didn’t grow up around social media but spent a lot of my teens using it, and I want to know what it’s like to live a life without it.
I plan on deleting the main platforms: Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat and TikTok. These platforms are the ones that I use the most and deleting them can be considered very limiting, not only because you can connect with friends or stalk that one ex, but also because of job prospects.
With Instagram and TikTok, I run literature-centered accounts where I review books, talk about a particular book that I loved or I hated. This can help with pursuing a career in publishing because I can tangibly show an employer that I have a passion for reading and writing, and you could argue that deleting these accounts can be restrictive to me, but I plan on starting a blog that will eventually replace my bookstagram and booktok.
Deleting my social media also means that I might be a little out of touch with things, but I’m happy with that. I feel that I’m part of someone’s business too much these days. I want to concentrate and what is happening in my life now.
“I might be a little out of touch with things, but I’m happy with that. I feel that I’m part of someone’s business too much these days.”
I’m not sure if these things still count as social media, but the three platforms I have decided to keep are: Discord, WhatsApp and Pinterest.
I decided to keep Discord and WhatsApp purely for messaging reasons. I have friends on Discord who I talk to everyday and live across several continents so if I were to delete it, I would simply lose touch, and our friendships are too valuable for me to give that up. WhatsApp is WhatsApp, is just an easy messaging platform instead of using your text messages.
I have a love affair with Pinterest. I would say that it’s the one platform that makes me happy. I love getting décor ideas and fashion inspiration from there, and you don’t really have to interact with anyone. It’s social media without the expectation to be social.
You may ask why I’ve decided to announce it to everybody rather than going quietly.
Simple answer, I’m dramatic.
Real answer, I want people to feel like they can do the same, and not have to worry about the repercussions. Many people may feel like social media is toxic but still haven’t decided if they want to delete it yet because who doesn’t have social media these days, but I can hopefully encourage someone to take the leap and do it.
Grace Robinson is a second-year English student. She is passionate about feminism in politics and society. You can find her written articles here
Feature image: Unsplash.
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