I peak my head up, look to my left. Shit! A grey Toyota Corolla is quickly approaching me, I hit the power button on my phone, slip it into my pocket and scurry across the street. The street that I happened to find myself in the middle of while mindlessly scrolling through Instagram; fascinated by the array of memes and obnoxious bikini selfies that flooded my screen.

I reach the sidewalk, pop out my phone, pull up Snapchat and continue mindlessly walking with my head buried in the world of social media with no care for the outside world. Engulfed in cyberspace that is insecurity, a world that is a competition, an environment that is toxic. We are all informed about the dangers and harmful effects of social media yet we all allow ourselves to be consumed in this ludicrous concept that is anything but social.

What I gained from this world:

- An inability to properly communicate with my peers.

- An easy way out of an unwanted conversation as I pretend that in the midst of my scrolling, I lost sight of the person next to me.

- A feeling of insecurity knowing my Instagram page is the way new people define me.

- Ineptitude to be present in any conversation as a Snapchat, Instagram or Facebook notification floods my home screen.

This social experience that every one of my peers swears by is the sole thing keeping us from being social. I have no problem searching for someone's Instagram handle prior to a meetup but the second I anticipate speaking with a large crowd of people or even just meeting new people, I get consumed with anxiety. I'm not sure if its just me, but I know that I've become too comfortable using my phone as a protective glass to shield me from the outside world.

https://pixabay.com/en/pokemon-pokemongo-friends-school-1548194/

But what is the alternative, delete my social media account? Isolate myself from the online world that all of my friends abide by? Feel incredibly lonely or left out? I don't know the answer and I doubt anyone does, but the point is, my generation is constantly being engulfed by this seemingly inclusive environment that everyone wants to be a part of. A world that allows me to accidentally walk in the middle of the street as I scroll through the posts that I wish I was.

Take a step back, take a cleanse, I don't know but whatever you do, make an effort to be present in everything you do.

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.

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What I gained from this world:

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May the odds be ever in your favor.

Phase One: The “I got this” phase

Phase Two: The “I have time” phase

Phase Three: The uncontrollable sobbing phase

Phase Four: The “help me, I've fallen and I can't get up” phase

Phase Five: The rejoicing phase

10 ways to prepare for finals week—beginning with getting to the library.

Who knows where we would be without them.

1. Thank you for laughing at my jokes, even when they really aren’t funny.

2. Thank you for singing unbearably loud with me all the time.

3. Thank you for letting me vent to you for hours about anything and basically being my personal therapist.

4. Thank you for ordering pizza with me at 2 in the morning.

5. Thank you for all the movie days when we don’t feel like moving.

6. Thank you for being my workout buddy everyday.

7. Thank you for sharing your closets with me.

8. Thank you for taking naps with me at random hours during the day.

9. Thank you for cleaning our home with me when we absolutely need to.

10. Thank you for all the rides when it’s late and you don’t want me to walk home alone in the dark.

11. Thank you for studying with me in our kitchen when we didn't want to go the library.

12. Thank you for making dinner with me.

13. Thank you for helping with my hair, makeup and outfit every time we go out.

14. Thank you for taking countless ugly pictures with me.

15. Thank you for not judging me when I go too long without showering.

16. Thank you for making our apartment feel like a second home.

17. Thank you for being there through all of our boy troubles.

18. Thank you for giving me a hug when I feel homesick.

19. Thank you for getting excited with me when one of us gets a good grade on an exam.

20. Thank you for still being my friend and not judging me when I say or do dumb things.

21. Thank you for telling me what I should do when I am sick.

22. Thank you for dancing horribly with me everywhere we go.

23. Thank you for staying up super late with me when we aren’t tired or can’t sleep.

24. Thank you for being super weird with me.

25. Thank you for all the unforgettable college memories.

26. And most of all, thank you for being the best friends a girl could have.

I may or may not be stressing right now.

1. "What do I have to study for?"

2. "What class do I need to study for the most?"

3. "I’m going to ace this."

4. "Focus!"

5."I have no idea what I'm reading."

6. "I should call my smart friend about this."

7. "I’m going to fail. I’m going to fail."

8. "I’m dropping out of school."

9. "What grade do I have to get on the final to pass the class?"

10. "Oh, no, I have to do good."

11. "I shouldn’t have procrastinated all semester."

12. "I wanna go to bed."

13. "We did not learn this!"

14. "I should go get food."

15. "Why do we even have finals?"

16. "I don’t want to be at the library."

17. "Get off your phone."

18. "I can watch Netflix for like 20 minutes and then go back to studying."

19. "I shouldn’t have watched Netflix."

20. "You have to study now!"

The "Happiest Place on Earth" has a lot of characters with some pretty great advice.

Remember you’re the one who can fill the world with sunshine. — Snow White

The past can hurt. But the way I see it, you can either run from it or learn from it. — Rafiki

You don't have time to be timid. You must be bold and daring. — Lumière

If watching is all you're gonna do, then you're gonna watch your life go by without ya. — Laverne

Sometimes the right path is not the easiest one. — Grandmother Willow

Always let your conscience be your guide. — Jiminy Cricket

To infinity and beyond. — Buzz Lightyear

Life is a journey to be experienced, not a problem to be solved. — Pooh

Let it go. — Elsa

If you can't say something nice, don't say nothin' at all. — Thumper

Today's special moments are tomorrow's memories. — Genie

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