Coming back to social media was like coming back to a math problem you were really struggling with and immediately remembering how to do it. I felt refreshed. I was no longer weighed down by my online presence, but it could now support me in communication and everyday life.

In high school we tend to believe that our connectedness online is crucial to who we are. Growing up in the age where technology is so available fosters and breeds this belief. This idea isn’t always bad, but when I stepped back and unplugged, I came to the realization that it really didn’t matter. Whether I was online or not, people didn’t care more or less about me. This irrelevance was the biggest thing I learned from unplugging.

Now, when I post on my snapchat story, I make sure I actually care about what I am posting. Since social media is no longer about me posting for other people, the only really important thing is how I feel about what I am posting and what that means for who I am. My instagram feed is now full of people and places that I care about, not things I think will get me the most likes or made me look the prettiest. Impressing people isn’t the purpose anymore.

I mentioned in my first article that the prospect of communication without the follow through caused large amounts of loneliness; this loneliness doesn’t hurt anymore. If my friends don’t respond to my texts, or if I’m in my room hanging out, I don’t expect to be in communication. This changed expectation  helped me embrace the introverted side of myself I’ve ignored for a large portion of my life. Sitting by myself in my room and working on little projects or going to the park by myself is actually fun, and is now something I seek out rather than a last resort. Being back on social media helps me communicate with my friend Ethan who lives in Singapore and keep connectedness with my aunts in New Mexico, while also not relying on online communication to function.

This experience was really hard. I will not deny that. I will also not deny the fact that there were times where I cheated and had longer conversations on text than I should’ve let or I flipped through my memories on Snapchat, but that is almost more of a testament to how well stepping back from social media can work. If I had gone completely clean for the month I was off, I probably would’ve seen even more benefit.

I don’t think that unplugging is for everyone. I know many people who easily live in harmony with it. The benefits of leaving social media were pretty apparent in my life, and I think that is a testament to something. However, I also believe that social media is a wonderful thing that has significantly improved our society. Sometimes, you just need to step back and self reflect, and this is a very definite way to do this.