9 Things I’ve Learned Quitting Social Media As A College Student

When’s the last time you checked your Facebook or Instagram?

If you’re a college student in 2021 social media is most likely your lifeblood.

With the emergence of new platforms like Tik Tok, it’s important to know when to take deliberate time away from Social Media to focus on your actual life.

I’ve taken a break from all forms of Social Media for 90 days as a college student and a digital marketer. Here’s what I’ve learned:

Quick disclaimer: I have used YouTube which has been my social media Achilles heel, but more on that later.

1. The Power of Quiet Time

Perhaps the most pressing element of my social media detox that I’d like to share with you is the power of quiet time.

Quite literally, the power of time spent alone, doing nothing.

Our lives are so filled with constant noise that it can be hard to even hear ourselves think.

Taking social media out of my life has given me the time to just breathe and exist.

You might be thinking, “but what if I miss something? What if there’s an important update?”

Trust me, if there’s something pressing you’ll get a phone call.

For now, embrace the silence and breathe.

2. Inner Awareness and Realigning

Once you have that quiet time, you’ll notice yourself become more and more aware of the world in front of you.

This is a surefire way to get the mental clarity that you need, to reorient yourself with your actual world.

Maybe I’m making this sound a bit unrealistic.

The reality is that you’ll step away from social media addiction and come back into the present.

Think of a break from social media as a chance to zoom out, become aware of the real world, and realign yourself with what’s actually important to you in your life.

3. The Bane of Social Comparison

Comparing yourself to another person’s body, happiness, career, etc. is the most dangerous part of social media.

For me, social comparison has the potential to lead to depressing thoughts about myself and where I’m at in life.

Additionally, social media can lead you down some deep stalking rabbit holes and have you asking questions.

Why don’t I look like her? How come he has it so easy? Why isn’t my life that happy?

Do me a favor, check your profile.

Is it an accurate reflection of ALL of your life experiences?

Does it reflect the pain, anger, anguish, sadness, stuckness, and all of the negative emotions of your life?

Probably not.

Our posts and profiles are highlight reels of our lives.

Take care of yourself, take a break from social media so you can see yourself as the beautiful, amazing person that you truly are.

4. Focus On The Important People

Another trap that social media presents is focusing on the wrong people.

If you have hundred (or even thousands) of followers/people that you follow, how can you hope to develop a deep relationship with any of them?

Reach out to your inner circle, to those 5-10 people that truly matter to you.

None of your Facebook friends will be there for you when you need them.

A Like and a “praying for you” are often psychologically boosting, but at the end of the day, only true friends/family will be there to support you.

I’ve found myself focusing on the relationships that actually matter in my life.

5. Get Your Head Out of Politics!

There is constant political turmoil and there will always be news.

He said this, she said that this policy is going on or that person evaded their taxes.

Let me make this abundantly clear: I am not condoning the actions of any political party/regime.

It’s crucial to stay up to date with the world around you, it truly is.

But Facebook isn’t the way to do it.

Download a different app like Morning Brew to kickstart your day. Heck, go old fashioned and pull up a newspaper to practice your reading skills!

6. Stop Being a Product

A wise person once told me: If you do not have to pay for entry, you are the product.

While I don’t believe this is always the case, there are good people out there, this is certainly accurate in the realm of social media.

Don’t you notice ads and sponsored posts? Ever wonder why you see an ad for an item that you just put into your Amazon shopping cart?

Truth is, social media companies make money by making you the product.

Whether you notice them or not, these flashing images of advertisments can cloud your purchasing judgement.

Sure, not all of them are malicious, but you should make a conscious effort to keep yourself on your toes for businesses trying sell you something.

7. Build Proper Morning/Evening Routines

Clear cut and simple. Quitting social media makes room for more productive efforts.

Instead of rolling out of bed every day with your phone in your hand, you can start the day with something that you actually enjoy.

I’m not telling you to hop into a cold shower, do various breathing exercises, journal, and exercise before the crack of dawn.

I’m just here to tell you to do you.

Don’t allow social media to drag you into wasting away your precious time.

8. Turn Pandemic Into Training

With the ongoing pandemic (if you’re reading this in 2021) social media has become a much more pertinent part of our lives.

I challenge you to take this time and turn it into training.

Instead of focusing on the distractions that pull away from your focus, focus on the deliberate work that is actually important to yourself.

Realign yourself to your core values and train from there.

9. Build in Time With God

As a Christian and an aspiring entrepreneur, it is crucial for me to build time with the Lord.

This is my sacred time where I study, reflect, and just be with God.

I know this might be a little off-topic, but I think daily time to reflect on the ultimate nature of your existence in a productive way can realign you.

Cutting out social media has allowed me to make room for my faith that would have otherwise been occupied.

Will you commit to taking time off from social media? Let me know in the comments below 🙂

Signing off,

Chris Chan