Reflection 2

 

  1. 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.

 

  1. 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.

 

  1. 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.