Meet Kelly. She’s from New Jersey and just graduated from Boston College. She loves to cook, travel, and be active. She’s looking forward to giving up social media so that she can take more time to do the things she loves. She’ll admit it herself- her habits on social media aren’t something she brags about. Instead of reaching out and talking to people to find out what’s going on in their lives, social media has made it too easy for her to refer to their status updates and picture uploads. By giving it up, she will have to directly reach out to these people to keep updated with their lives. “I know it will be different, but I’m confident it’s actually better that way,” she says.
Kelly has her fears, too. Social media has become a social crutch for her. She hasn’t had to remember anyone’s birthday for years because she’s had Facebook to fall back on. If she forgets personal information about her friends, she can refer to their social media profiles. Will she ultimately change? SocialRecess will be the test.
Kelly anticipates that she will miss Instagram the most. Something lights up inside her when she sees a picture like or a follower request, the ultimate validation. Her social media addiction will be the hardest to fight first thing in the morning when she wakes up, right before bed, and in waiting times, like waiting for the T. Kelly has already started to plant the seed with her friends that she won’t be receiving event invitations and updates. She’s taken note on how much social planning occurs through these mediums and prays that by giving up her digital addiction, her real social life isn’t compromised.
Overall, Kelly is excited to enjoy a life without the digital component. She wants to focus on taking more pictures, reading more, and trying out new recipes. She hopes that by consciously planning out these new activities, she will be less likely to think about what she’s missing out on from her networks. Stay tuned!
You can get in touch with Kelly by email at kellysocialrecess@gmail.com.
Social Recess 