Turn It Off, Then Tune In To Your Life | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Student Life

Turn It Off, Then Tune In To Your Life

The average person spends 40 minutes a day on Facebook.

10
Turn It Off, Then Tune In To Your Life
Pinterest

Allow me to set the stage for this opinion of mine:

A struggling college student during the dreaded finals week of a fifth semester at Virginia Tech realizes they are doomed if they do not put in serious effort for the six finals that determine grades being solid or sad after having bitten off far more than they could chew.

I turned my phone off to get my stuff together and pass said finals, but I did not just stop there. I had one of my closest friends change my Facebook password and not permit me to have it until my pencil was thrown into my backpack and the last final submitted. Everybody at VT knows about dual authorization with logging onto Canvas and Scholar, and my roommates were my saviors in turning it back on and off to give me the access I needed without compromising my mission. I knew having the world in my hands (silly phone) would not be a good idea. How pathetic that this little brick could change the outcome of 15 weeks’ worth of work.

If you asked me earlier this year if I was addicted to my phone, I would say no. I thought a phone addiction is when you cannot put it down at all, or when you check it constantly while out with friends. I always thought a phone had no place at scheduled hang outs, church, work, a trip to the gym, or in my bed for the night-nights. Those are (and should be) times meant to be lived and treasured, but ever since I joined team smart phone, capable of internet, I am guilty of posting “the perfect” reindeer Snapchat with friends, scrolling aimlessly on Facebook, or just texting someone to avoid eye contact on a bus. It is clear to me that I am just as addicted as the next person.

What did I do when I turned off my phone you might ask?:

I colored instead of texting, and realized I forgot how nice it is to zone out on an Elmo dressed as Santa Claus, pretending the return rates of bonds are negligible. Instead of waiting for something interesting, usually shade being thrown at politicians or a dog chasing a ball, to pop up on my Facebook by scrolling mindlessly for 20 minutes, I went to YouTube and watched bachata videos, knowing they will be useful to my own passions. Even better, I took the time to remember life is not cake, and that sometimes we fail to see past ourselves and make necessary changes. It is eerie how somber buses are when you’re not paying attention to the phones so well-positioned that our faces are in our laps and the bright lights of the latest phone upgrade or Snapchat filter blocks out any potential interaction.

If I try and guesstimate how much time I invested into watching the lives of others unfold on Facebook, I know it would amount to days. Add in the times I whipped out my phone, so as not to interact with people, and the time wasted is staggering. Worse yet, how much time have I spent reading the Daily Mail and Cosmopolitan stories on how trashy and revealing the freaking Kardashians outfits were? I DO NOT EVEN LIKE THE KARDASHIANS. I have been setting my precious time on fire. On fireeee.

The average person spends 40 minutes on Facebook a day. A freaking day. That is almost an hour. Imagine spending 365 hours of your life on something you will never touch and that will inherently never benefit your happiness in any way. Now take out the five hours spent talking to actual family and the 10 hours of happy puppy videos you watch if you are feeling a bit blue. You have spent 350 hours or a little over two full weeks of your life staring at a computer screen that usually has you staring at your boyfriend's page, the girl you detested in high school, or the guy who said you were cute or nah'.

That is 350 hours you invested in something that will most likely never bring you lasting joy. Not saying that babies, wedding announcements and puppies are not a joyous thing, but the comparison it often brings is just another burden to carry. 350 hours in 2016 alone that I could have spent dancing, writing articles, eating healthier, sleeping, or going on crazy adventures with my friends and family. You and I spent two full weeks of our lives this year obsessing over someone else’s life through a screen. What do we have to show for it? Jealously and mounting To-Do lists.

So what?

Once I turned my phone on, I thought it would be easy to give it up and keep focused on better ways to spend my time. Nope, it is hard. We are all so fixated on being in the loop and hip to this new age. Today alone, I know I have hopped on and back off of Facebook at least five times. What does this say about me, an American girl living in a land of opportunity? I need to get my head out of my ass (phone/SnapChat/Facebook, all that stuff) and start living. Besides, you cannot dance salsa with a phone in your hand, or study accounting successfully by posting a story of yourself pouting to SnapChat.

I thank God I never exerted the effort to get things like Instagram and Twitter because I know the pile of fire that is my time would be twice as high. We need to start living life with our own hands, without a screen. There is so much to do that we have no right to say we are bored and hop on Facebook to kill time. Why kill time at all? Why not go spend it wisely? So many dogs to walk, blood to donate, mountains to climb in the valley, topics to study and sweaters to knit.. and we choose to see who is dating who on the internet. Let us start challenging ourselves to live our lives without studying and comparing ourselves to the lives of others.

I do not particularly care for the idea of New Year’s Resolutions, (because why should a "mistake" or derailment from a goal, mean you have to wait for a full year to pass to fix it?), but for 2017, I am logging onto Facebook once a day, ignoring the outlandish outfits of Kim Kardashian, forgetting that my phone exists unless I need it for an upcoming goal/event, and trying to remember what life feels like when I am not trying to see what everyone else’s looks like. Anyone want to go for a hike that we don't have to post about on Snapchat?


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

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

178743
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

5934
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

451615
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

22793
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments