Week 2: Social Media Reset

At this point, we all know how bad social media can be. It can poorly affect our mental health, our self-esteem and can make us prone to doom scrolling (especially in the last year and a half). You probably want to log off forever, and never see another notification. But is our dream of a social media-less world realistic? In this article, writer Sadhbh O’Sullivan unpacks the idea of quitting social media and how it might not be as beneficial as developing a healthier relationship with digital platforms. “Social media is too intertwined in how we socialize and connect and work,” she writes. “But as more people question how they use it, they are realising that perhaps they can find ways to incorporate social media into their work and personal lives without allowing it to dominate.” 

The relationship we have with social media will always be evolving, and the ways we interact online will change as the platforms do and we age out of this desire to keep up with everything through our devices. Social media has also brought certain communities together and exposed us to different point-of-views, we wouldn’t have seen. But, if you’re craving a full social media detox, we get it. But before you hit ‘deactivate’, try reasoning with yourself. What are the reasons you want to leave? Will it help in the long term? Before you go offline, try scheduling certain times where you do and don’t check your phone—this is an easier way to remove yourself from the digital space without fully leaving and setting boundaries. 

But, if you’re looking for slivers of hope on the internet, this article highlights some incredible newsletters to keep you updated on things like food, pop culture and travelling. Newsletters bring the excitement of news consumption and media to our inboxes, and can hopefully make us forget about the dizzy cycle of social media (even if it’s for a short period of time.)