I was 10 or 11 when I first encountered Twitter. My dad had gotten an account on a new website where people texted a number and their texts were posted to that website. Or at least that’s how I understood the whole thing (quite frankly I didn’t understand it at all). I, as a young kid fascinated with new technology, instantly asked my father for permission to get a Twitter account. He wisely denied my request.
Eventually, of course, I got a Twitter. As a member of Generation Z, I supposed I was contractually obliged to do so. I already had a Facebook, and an Instagram was to follow close behind.
Over time I began to sink more and more of my time into Twitter. Facebook was rather boring and people were posting things that I simply wasn’t interested in. Even when people were talking about things which I enjoyed, their opinions were uninteresting or uninformed. Twitter, on the other hand, was simply fascinating. Memes were flying left and right. Interesting and (sometimes) informed opinions are everywhere with the most powerful and most engaged people in their respective disciplines or professions being active on the platform.
News is also a massive benefit of being on Twitter. Often, the most immediate way to access breaking news or information is to be on Twitter. If you don’t have access to a TV, you can follow the latest NBA finals in a fairly comprehensive way if you follow the right people on Twitter.
Unfortunately, social media is also addictive. I realized I had a problem with it one day when I closed out of Twitter only to look at my screen and reopen the app only to realize I had just closed it because there was nothing left to see. I was unabashedly addicted. So I deleted the app.
Since that moment my life has gotten considerably better. I spend less time on my phone. I spend less times thinking about little spats on Twitter which have little significance in the grand scheme of things. I go to bed more quickly. Of course, I still have Twitter on my computer but my life has become less hectic and miserable since I deleted it.
I know that social media is an integral part of our lives now. But my life hasn’t ended since I’ve restricted my access to it, in fact it made my life better. For those of you out there who are struggling with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or even Snapchat – I’d like to offer you a bit of encouragement and let you know...it’s worth it.
