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To: Teenagers and Parents
Social Media Free Mondays
In order to cut back on the excessive usage that the youth pours into their phones and tablets, every Monday starting and ending at midnight, the usage of our electronic devices cannot be used to access social media platforms. Everyone is to enjoy the outdoors, spend time with family, invest in a new skill, finish homework, or find other outlets to appreciate their world outside of a screen lens.
Why is this important?
When I was in middle school, I was nervous and excited for my first day of 6th grade. People of different ages and heights were everywhere! I soon found myself an outcast and did not know how to fit in. I had just gotten my very own Nook tablet and social media apps such as Instagram and snapchat were new and hip. After creating my social media accounts, I soon found myself feeling consumed by the pressure of following the crowd. I wanted to have the same posts as everyone else, I wanted to be liked and I wanted to create this facade of someone that I truly wasn’t because who I actually was, did not get me many friends. I entered middle school a timid, shy, and nervous girl but left a friendly, humorous, and caring individual. It wasn’t until my Dad brought to my attention that my social media habits were becoming obsessive, that I considered changing my habits. The person I was becoming did not resonate with my true inner self. This girl was seeking approval from others and felt anxious when approached with the situation of face to face conversation. It took me a whole year to realize that this person I was trying to become wasn’t necessary. Some people will like you and others won’t. It isn’t the basis of whether you have 3 followers or 300. It is the character of the person that matters. What kind of heart do they have and how do they treat others?
Teenagers around the world are constantly using their cellular devices for the wrong reasons. There is excessive usage due to the mobile phone specifically being used as a crutch to make the youth feel protected or there is constant pressure to seek approval and validation from their peers. For instance, walking around the halls in school can be terrifying for a young student to face and they decide to resort to their phone as an escape from making eye contact or conversation with people due to their social anxiety. This kind of behavior creates a pattern that doesn't allow the child to develop their critical social skills. With less device usage around the world, we have the ability to change the stigma of burying our faces into our phones and socializing with those who are just as shy, if not afraid. Parents also play an important role in this movement. Had it not been for my dad holding me accountable and bringing to my attention that I am not developing good and healthy habits with my device, I would have spiraled out of control. When parents decide to give their children cellular devices, they should reassure their child that their phone is not something that should be abused and considered an accessory. Their phones, laptops, or tablets are tools that are to be used for building them up rather than breaking them down. Seeking validation or approval especially from social media is a dangerous trap to fall into and a healthy balance is the key to being truly happy.
Social Media free mondays starting from 12:00 a.m. to 12:00 pm at night, is a reasonable solution to cutting back on social media usage. If this event becomes world wide, the pressure to stay off your phone to access social media would become a success! People should take this day to spend quality time with those that are physically in their lives because nobody lives forever. Another way people can spend the “no social media” day is to pick up or further develop a hobby. Something that they have been putting off because social media consumes their free time. Coming from personal experience, there is more satisfaction in creating something with your hands and seeing the final product without seeking the approval of others. Another benefit to this event would be realizing that there is more to life than wasting time investing into our devices. We are creatures of habit and retraining our habits to focus on the things that are important is within our ability.
Teenagers around the world are constantly using their cellular devices for the wrong reasons. There is excessive usage due to the mobile phone specifically being used as a crutch to make the youth feel protected or there is constant pressure to seek approval and validation from their peers. For instance, walking around the halls in school can be terrifying for a young student to face and they decide to resort to their phone as an escape from making eye contact or conversation with people due to their social anxiety. This kind of behavior creates a pattern that doesn't allow the child to develop their critical social skills. With less device usage around the world, we have the ability to change the stigma of burying our faces into our phones and socializing with those who are just as shy, if not afraid. Parents also play an important role in this movement. Had it not been for my dad holding me accountable and bringing to my attention that I am not developing good and healthy habits with my device, I would have spiraled out of control. When parents decide to give their children cellular devices, they should reassure their child that their phone is not something that should be abused and considered an accessory. Their phones, laptops, or tablets are tools that are to be used for building them up rather than breaking them down. Seeking validation or approval especially from social media is a dangerous trap to fall into and a healthy balance is the key to being truly happy.
Social Media free mondays starting from 12:00 a.m. to 12:00 pm at night, is a reasonable solution to cutting back on social media usage. If this event becomes world wide, the pressure to stay off your phone to access social media would become a success! People should take this day to spend quality time with those that are physically in their lives because nobody lives forever. Another way people can spend the “no social media” day is to pick up or further develop a hobby. Something that they have been putting off because social media consumes their free time. Coming from personal experience, there is more satisfaction in creating something with your hands and seeing the final product without seeking the approval of others. Another benefit to this event would be realizing that there is more to life than wasting time investing into our devices. We are creatures of habit and retraining our habits to focus on the things that are important is within our ability.