When was the last time you chose to connect with someone in person instead of through technology?

As a communication major and teenage girl I have a deep love for social media. I have the ability to let everyone (ex-boyfriends) know that my life is cooler than theirs, keep in touch with friends I otherwise wouldn’t have, and save my memories all in one place. However, as I grow up I realize that I don’t want to live my life through Instagram and Facebook posts. 

All of this new technology, it's innovative and exciting, but instead of making us social it's debilitating. 

Friends have become letters on a screen that give you notifications and a sense of popularity. I want friends that I can hold, friends where I can see tears in their eyes when we laugh too hard at something that wasn’t even that funny. I’ve lost the urge to visit life long friends because I feel like I’m a part of their life when I see their status updates or pictures, but I can’t remember the last time I actually got to see them and play a physical role in their lives. As i get farther away from high school and my friends that I had seen every day of our lives for 12 years I find it especially troubling that we've stopped even skyping each other during our semesters apart. 

Memories have become pictures with X-Pro II filters on instagram. We’re too busy checking our profiles than seeing the beauty in the moment that we’re living. Let's face it, the term "pics or it didn't happen" has become the mantra of our generation. Is your life these days really so great if not every single person knows how cool you and your friends are based on your online profile? I can't scroll through my Facebook without seeing pictures of what people ate for breakfast! 

The problem with social media really lies with us, and we alone have the ability to fix it. I’m all for keeping in touch and saving memories through technology, but we need to be aware of the present and ourselves.

My challenge for you is to delete social media apps from your phone, so that when you’re out and about you can focus on those moments and not checking your Facebook.

I've done this myself, and I had conversations with people uninterrupted by my phone that made me feel closer to them than I had in years. 

Save the Internet for your laptop and procrastination moments. And instead of messaging someone or stalking their profile, give them a call! There’s nothing like hearing the voice of someone you love.   

So whether you do this challenge or not, just look up and enjoy your life once in a while.