Archive for October 6, 2011
Kate Shambrook Reflection 2
0Reflection #2
- Completely unplugging from social media would greatly affect my daily routine because I would instantly begin to feel withdrawal. During a typical day, I utilize my iPhone, Facebook, and Twitter as a way to communicate with friends and combat boredom. I would say that I use my iPhone the most for texting and making plans as well as checking up on my Facebook page and managing tweets on Twitter. In between classes, I would feel slightly lost because I typically spend the time surfing the Internet to check up on my social media accounts. I typically have Facebook up on my computer while I’m doing homework so that if someone needs to talk to me they can chat me or I can scroll through the news feed and get updates from what people are doing.
- For the unplugging experiment, I chose to “unplug” from Facebook for a day to see what it felt like and what I would miss. I decided upon Facebook because I typically use that the most out of all the social media that I communicate with. The day started out as any normal day would but with a small exception. Instead of checking my news feed at the start of the day, I had about 10 minutes to kill before class that I filled with chatting with my roommates. Since I was unable to use Facebook, I felt oddly un-connected as I was walking to classes and I did not check my Facebook on my iPhone in between classes. When it came to homework time, I did not have my Facebook up on my computer screen so while I felt slightly lost, I also got a lot more accomplished than I regularly do. I was able to stay unplugged for the entire day but I was pretty thrilled to get it back the next day and catch up on what I missed. One of the biggest lessons I learned from this process is that I can survive without my Facebook and it does actually make me more productive. The hardest part about being unplugged from Facebook was that the pull to get on Facebook became much stronger. I felt tempted to break the challenge at least 5 times during the day because I felt strangely unconnected and bored some of the time.
- One suggestion that I would make and that I will start to live by as well is that homework is a time for getting stuff done and does not need to be paired with social media. Through my experiment of unplugging completely, I found that I got a lot more homework done in a shorter amount of time when I wasn’t distracted with Facebook. I think that Facebook has a time, place, and purpose but during homework time it is often better to focus.
Jessica Lynn Reflection 2
01. I think the social media withdraw will greatly affect my day. I normally take time to look at facebook during breaks in class or homework. This is how I relax and get my mind off of the stresses of the day. I’m not sure that I could stay off of facebook for very long, because some of my friends don’t have access to a cell phone at all times and so we communicate over facebook. I’m also worried that I will fill my time that I would be on facebook with an even more time consuming habit.
2. I planned to unplug from facebook starting Tuesday (Oct. 4) at 8:00 am. This is the only social media site that I use. I was able to stay unplugged until Wednesday (Oct. 5) at about 5:00 pm. It’s sad that I could only make it a day and a half. It shows me how much I rely on facebook in my day to day life. I’m not sure that I could have even made it as long as I had if I didn’t have classes all day Tuesday and until 4:00 on Wednesday. I found it difficult to stay off of facebook once I was back from class on Wednesday. I have a full schedule Monday-Wednesday and by the time my classes are done for the week I normally spend a good portion of the day unwinding from the tough 3 days. I first tried to replace facebook with TV, but there wasn’t anything on and I eventually caved in.
3. I think the best way to complete an “unplugging” is don’t let yourself get as addicted to social media as I am. I have become reliant on facebook for communicating with friends and family when I should have found healthier ways to communicate (Facebook isn’t real communication anyway!). Also my homepage is facebook (which I changed for the experiment), but I ‘ve noticed that even if I am doing homework and I have to open blackboard or another website to research something I take the time to look at facebook. I think if it wasn’t set as my homepage it would be easier to skip checking it first thing when I got online.
Hannah Reflection 2
0Reflection 2
- I feel having a social media withdrawal would be frustrating at first but would eventually give me more time to do other things that I love or need to do. I usually check my Facebook once when I wake up and when I go to bed. I also browse Facebook between classes when I feel like I don’t have enough time to get anything productive done or homework completed. If I did not have Facebook I would hope that during that open time I would try to start a homework assignment, work ahead or read for a class. I also think I would feel out of touch with friends from back home because Facebook is a much quicker was of communicating opposed to texting which may take them a bit to respond or calling them because they might be in class and can’t answer.
- Since I do not have a Smartphone or utilize my Twitter account I decided to try and unplug from Facebook. I lasted up until midnight then shamelessly check my Facebook. I decided that it was okay to go on Facebook because technically it was the next day and being disconnected for a day was good enough for me. The hardest thing about it was trying to get out of the routine. It was almost muscle memory for me to sit down at my computer, scroll down my favorites list and select Facebook. Sometime I would sit down with my lap top to do something else and I’d feel like I would automatically go to the Facebook homepage without realizing it. I sort of liked all the extra time not going on Facebook gave me. Some of my friends deactivate their Facebook during finals week and I may do that this year because without Facebook there as a distraction I got so much more stuff done! I learned that I waste a LOT of time on Facebook, even if I write I paper I may have Facebook open in a second tab which is distraction if I get a new notification.
- I don’t think having a prolonged period of total “unplugging” would doable for college students much less helpful. Social networking affects every part of our life, friends, family, school, and work. But not allowing networking we would be harming relationships, hindering job opportunities or even falling behind in school. Instead maybe limiting the amount of time you spend on social networking would be a good compromise. Even taking twenty minutes each day to turn off your blackberry, disconnect from Facebook, twitter, MySpace etc., and just sit silence could be extremely refreshing and beneficial. I think in the future I will consider de- activating my Facebook for just a day or so, just to have a break. If my Facebook is de-activated my friends wont be able to find me on Facebook, send me a message or post on my wall so I won’t be like I am missing out on anything.
Reflection #2
0Read http://campustechnology.com/Articles/2011/09/28/Harrisburg-U-Suffers-Withdrawal-of-Social-Media.aspx?p=1
Then answer the following questions. Reflections are due this Monday 10/10/11
1. Without having experienced a social media withdrawal, how can you imagine it would it affect your daily routine?
2. Once you have answered 1 above, complete a self-imposed “unplugging” from one or more social networks that you typically use. Fully dis-engage from your iPhone, Facebook, Twitter or other social tool. How long were you able to stay unplugged? What was easiest/hardest about disengaging? What did you learn in the process?
3. What alternatives to completely unplugging might be good suggestions for your peers as they learn to balance social engagement in online and real-world environments?
Your reflection can include details about what you did and which tool you chose, but the majority of your writing should reflect your inquiry about and understanding of how the exercise impacted you.