Binge & Fast yo

The media binge that I partook in wasn't too much of a shock for me. Ultimately, I experienced more of an impact with the media fast. As for the media binge, it was truly rough. I do have multiple social media accounts such as Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, etc. but it really made my nights run later and my eyes burn. I figured that I would obviously be wasting time with this binge, and to get this as a class assignment was more shocking than anything, but I had one lasting realization: that I needed to delete my apps before finals. Mind you, not my actual social media accounts (duh), but my apps. The media binge was good for me because it gave me the chance to realize that we miss out on so much when we are not only glued to our social media, but our phones in general. Even reading Huffington Post articles or reading emails, we on average spend most of our free time glued to a screen that does more bad than good. So, right then I knew I needed a change. A change that I have never done in my six semesters of college thus far, and yes, I did delete my apps.

The media fast has been nothing but good things for me. I can selfishly admit I was a bit nervous to do something like this because I am so far away from home, so my social media is a way for me to see my family or friends posts from back home, which gives me a familiar face or two to see on my feed. That is what I ultimately enjoy about social media now a days, but this is a remarkable realization. I learned a lot about my time management and I am so happy I was assigned this task because it made it easier for me to do. When I would find myself bored, I would open my phone and guide my finger to where that app used to be to open it, then I remembered that I no longer had it. That was when I realized my problem was worse than I thought! I still, til' this day don't have my apps back, and I probably don't plan to get them back until after finals. Maybe even longer! I have done more, seen more and learned more than I thought I would from this media fast. I didn't think that deleting apps would be what I would have to do to fast, but I knew it needed to happen to have a lasting impact. 
Overall, as a communication major I am constantly communicating through social media and texting, but I really appreciated an assignment like this. I think most classes should try it at least once so kids can see what it is like to step outside in the real world and not rely on a piece of technology to get you through the day.