This global pandemic has caused our world to grow so much hatred, not only in person but also online. I decided to see what a day without online hatred was like, so I went 24 hours without social media.

  When I first started this challenge it was fall break weekend at 7:18 a.m. on a Friday right before volleyball practice. Naturally, like any teenager, I was tempted to open my phone to look at Twitter. It had only been two minutes, and I was already struggling. 

  After practice I went home and had some free time on my day off from school. My first instinct was to open YouTube and begin to binge watch my favorite social media influencers. I quickly stopped myself and realized how often I use social media during the day.

  Later that day I went to the football game to get footage for my broadcast class. We always get there an hour early so I usually spend that hour looking through my phone at everything going on with my friends and on the news. I was sad as I watched my mom look through Twitter while I sat on the track and listened to myself breathe. I felt as if I was out of the loop, and it almost drove me insane. 

  What I realized is that as I began to look around me, I forgot about my phone. I actually left it places when it wasn’t in my hot little hand all day. This proves my theory that social media is the only reason we’re so attached to our phones.

  The next morning when the clock turned to 7:18 a.m. I immediately went on all my social media platforms to look at all the things I missed. I scrolled through everything for a solid two hours until I was caught up. I was finally satisfied and felt like I was back in the loop. However, in those 24 hours without my phone I did feel a sense of peace. I had no problems because I wasn’t reading about them for once. It was very eye opening.

  Social media is an addiction that almost everyone in today’s society has. If there’s one thing I learned from 24 hours without social media, it is that life would be much less stressful without my nose stuck in a feud on Facebook or a political problem on Twitter. 

  Next time you’re feeling overwhelmed by what the world is throwing at you or the drama created by your friends, try putting down the phone and taking advantage of what the real world has to offer.