Myself, amongst millions of others spend way too much time a day online, on social media to be exact. I find myself subconsciously switching between about four apps on any given day. If it is not Instagram, then it is Facebook and if it’s not Facebook, it’s the most addictive one we all know as TikTok. I never knew or paid attention to how much time I spent on my phone and more importantly, how much information I’ve taken on these apps.Now I can thank Apple Inc. for notifying me of exactly how much time I spend a day On my phone (I say sarcastically).
24 hours of media for me for something like this…
6:30 am : I grab my phone first… Of course, to turn my alarm off, but then that sent me to mindlessly scrolling on a few apps. I don’t know if I have convinced myself that this helps me wake up or if this is just a routine my brain has a in please. I went to Snapchat to respond to you a couple conversations I was having on there and then I went to TikTok to get a few videos in before I got ready. I then put my phone down.
9:00 am: I just woke back up again and of course I grabbed my phone right away. I scroll through Instagram and Facebook.I noticed that I really like pictures, but I do like to engage visually. I noticed some funny memes that showed me how some people think. Like I knew it wasn’t real but for a second I questioned hmmm what I’d this was ever true.
I know I know! So unreal but it made me chuckle a bit.
10 am – 3pm: I was driving and running errands and this was my daily detach time. I always try, emphasis on try to have a moment of time away from scrolling daily.
4 pm: lunch is ending and as I was waiting for the check I decided to scroll TikTok. And I asked myself, am o really addicted if I’m scrolling with no sound?! But I continued. I saved a video I wanted to listen to later because the bold caption not only caught my attention but I fit the age group.
5 pm – 7pm: I don’t have much to do. This is usually the point in which I’m tired of scrolling! But I can’t stop! I make my way to CNN to keep myself updated on local and world news. And then I make my way to Facebook because honestly speaking it’s never as interesting to me. Yet today I saw a few interesting post. One more realistic and two funny.
I was questioning why is Facebook so serious today! Are the old folks taking over?! I’m joking I’m joking! Then I came across this. It’s crazy that some people were in the comments asking for locations. I guess they really sold them the dream in this one.
8 pm: As I get in bed on Saturday night… I’m pretty much an old lady these days. I look for something to watch. It’s usually one of my regulars and tonight I picked Think Like a Man. This movie is hilarious. One book has convinced millions of women how to think like a man in order to secure a man. Though I love it, who gave Steve Harvey the right to say what it takes? Is he a scientist, doctor, or psychic?!
9 pm – 10 pm: my eyes are starting to shut as I scroll through the socials one last time. TikTok brought some giggles and Instagram wasn’t bad. I noticed that Instagram is starting to sensor what they feel isn’t real or reliable information. Yet they still allows it to be posted.
I’ve never really kept track of how much time I spent on my phone and on social media. I knew I was addicted, but to be addicted and to be aware is two different things while I don’t think I will change anytime soon, I do think keeping track of it, opened my eyes a different way. I never fully paid attention to what I was consuming or put thought to it past the 30 seconds, or a few minutes I spent on the post, but I noticed that there is a lot of made-up information out there, which I knew, but I realize that a lot of people actually fall for this information. I’ve never trusted social media platforms for real news and that is why I usually watch the morning news during the weekdays and usually scroll CNN daily. But even sometimes their truth can be fabricated.
I hope to one day be able to know all of the tactics that are used during media consumption, and that others will be able to learn what to look out for as well.
This is the end of my 24, but I promise you there will be plenty more!
