the real life diary

My Twenties without Social Media*

I will be turning twenty soon, and I wanted to do something that could change my life for the better. Lately, I became disillusioned with social media: I felt like I was wasting time doomscrolling but I couldn't look away, and I couldn't really think of its positive effects on my life that outweighed the impact of my real life relationships. Social media became so ubiquitous in my life ever since I joined Google Plus as a kid, I forgot how to live without it. As I enter this new era in my life, I want to break free from my-- to be honest-- addiction to it.

*I still use some chat apps, image/video sharing sites, and other social sites like forums, but I've deleted all the addictive, algorithmic socials I once had. The Real Life Diary is inspired by the "[Blank] Days of Productivity" challenges I've seen, except I will be documenting my experiences living without social media after a very long period of dependence.

february 24 2025

I will probably not be able to write too much this week because of midterms, but it's been a crucial time in my unplugging journey. I picked up Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now from the library, and I've been enjoying it so far. Books have been really helpful in replacing my social media dopamine cravings. Today I'm grateful for local libaries. I love the feel of a hardcover library book; the plastic covering on the covers, the smell of its pages, using a grocery reciept as a bookmark. I am grateful for libraries' purpose as community hubs, one of the last remaining third spaces where we can simply exist without needing to pay.

Living without social media has allowed me to be more intentional with my phone use, such as not looking at it while walking and only checking notifications at specific times. It allows me to be more present in nature. When you live in the city, the lights are dazzling, but you don't realize you're missing the stars. I felt so content during my day trip to the beach with my roommate this past weekend. I did not have to worry about petty drama that would wait for me on my phone, nor did I need to curate my life for an aesthetic Instagram post. I've started a journey to being free.