Archive for October 12, 2011

Sorry this is a little late!

1. While I’ve never official experienced a social media withdrawal, I kind of go through one every summer.  Where I live I don’t have a lot of time and/or energy to spend on the computer on a daily basis, so I only get on Facebook, Twitter, etc., maybe once a week; in the middle of summer it is often longer.  At Butler, however, is a completely different matter.  The browser I use is actually plugged in through Facebook, so I can access my newsfeed, for it, Twitter, and several other sites anytime I’m online, without having to be on the side directly.  I tend to spend time looking at the new information between classes a lot of times, when I don’t have enough time to be productive, and during lunch when I need a break from classes and a chance to relax.  In my free time, I tend to spend more of it reading or doing other things than being on social media outlets, so honestly the biggest effect a social media withdrawal would have on me would be between classes and other short amount of times throughout the day.  The hard part will be not using my usual internet browser.

2. I decided to unplug from Facebook, which lead to unplugging from RockMelt, which is the only real way I access Twitter, so ultimately I went without them both.  So I had every intention of completing my “unplug” from Facebook on Monday, however the problem I foresaw took place and I started my day like usual, using RockMelt and checking Facebook.  So I did Tuesday.  Since I had a midterm on Tuesday the lack of Facebook gave me the opportunity to study in my down time, which was useful.  Though when I had a large break and just wanted something to get my mind off Latin for a short amount of time I was kind of at a loss of what to do.  Facebook is quick and mindless, allowing me to shift my focus to social for a while instead of academic.  (My favorite browser also has all of my fun websites I don’t know the url for saved, so I didn’t have those either.)  The biggest thing I noticed with being disconnect from Facebook was that the support system I feel I’m part of and have was missing.  I couldn’t check for and like funny comments from class or easily say “Happy Birthday” to my friends from MO or “good luck” to someone with a big test that day or show support or sympathy to people having a rough day.  Nothing big may have happened on Tuesday that I HAD to post about/comment on, but at the same time I also couldn’t tell people in little ways that for a couple minutes that day I was thinking about them either.

3. Alternatives that I use are studying, reading (something I enjoy more than I should), and talking to the people around you, socializing on another level.  I think a balance is necessary, turn Facebook off when you’re studying, in class, or need to focus, but use it for a break between classes.  The hardest thing to do I think is not getting lost in it.  Spending hours at a time on Sims Social, or Farmville, etc. make it difficult to get things done or go out in the world.