addicted to attention.
Over Thanksgiving break, I decided to go cold turkey and delete all my social media apps. It was a smart move—I genuinely woke up the next day feeling more refreshed, starting my morning writing in my journal instead of scrolling through my “For You” page. When I told my friends at school that I had deleted my socials, some of them genuinely asked, "How were you not bored over break?" or "Then what else did you do if you didn’t have social media?"
The addiction to social media is heavily normalized in this generation. From families not talking to each other at restaurants because everyone is on their phones, to people only feeling fulfilled if they get the perfect Instagram picture—it’s concerning. All that time spent on social media could be focused on something that actually benefits you.
Think about it. On average, teenagers spend about five hours a day on social media. FIVE HOURS! That’s five hours you could have spent studying for a test, working out, or improving your mental health. It’s easy to complain about how hard it is to stop, but it’s almost just as easy to take a break. Instead of checking social media first thing in the morning, don’t even touch your phone. Journal, make breakfast, enjoy the simple moments in life without a screen in your eyes.
One thing that helped me quit social media was figuring out why I had it in the first place. When you really evaluate its purpose, you realize social media is just people posting the highlights of their lives. Subconsciously, you compare yourself to them, because that’s just how the human brain works.
When I had social media, I felt a warm rush every time someone liked my post or left a nice comment. That praise becomes addicting, and it’s important to control. Would you rather be addicted to the praise of random people, or to the recognition you earn from your achievements, like the colleges you get accepted into for working hard in high school? Evaluate your intentions and really think if the time you’re spending on social media is worth it.
Get ahead of the game and lock in. While your peers are busy scrolling on TikTok or Snapchatting, you can improve yourself, work on your long-term goals, and make your future self proud.
Written by: Josefina Heredia