*This article contains objective thoughts, feelings, and experiences from the writer.
Habits and behaviors have always overhauled my life in such a cathartic, slow, and aching way. I am not superhuman; I like to compare myself to nature. Everything I have ever wanted to change or make happen has come in quantities of years and decades- not weeks or days. In 2019, I was feeling extremely sick about life (a sentiment held in most people's hearts that year, worded one way or another). This planted a seed for me; the resolution now largely manifests itself as routine digital minimalism, mindfulness, and a sustainable lifestyle.
"It's been crazy learning how to get off of my phone and live more presently. With my friends, my family, and even the city I live in." Lucy Allan, 6 Months Without Social Media as a Gen Z
I was doing so little with my days and months. Spending free time with no palpable gratification- I asked myself "do I have hobbies? do I have interests?" and answered, "I don't know." I could easily see the metrics, though. Tiktok had 6 hours of my day, every day. Instagram had at least 4. If not for my part-time job, miscellaneous apps always took the remaining time.
The change came after marathons of small stressors in 2019, and huge, huge fallouts thru 2021: After a push-pull, codependent relationship for so long, I decided all of my social media had to go.
Furthermore, I decided I needed to really understand what role I wanted my dingy little iPhone 7 to play in my life. Do I delete all of my apps except the phone-call button? Or effectively just have a swiss-army knife of a GPS-calculator-search engine combo? I searched through flip phones and the Light Phone. I watched YouTube videos and heard out podcasts about big tech and the critiques. Eventually, my routine put what I needed right in front of me: apps I was using daily, and apps that added convenience and peace of mind. The below list excludes system default apps, like Messages, Calculator, and Photos.
The sustainable magic of Curtsy
Curtsy is a secondhand buy-sell app targeted at young, in-trend, women. Major brands like Lululemon, Doc Martens, Girlfriend Collective, Zara, and more are all easily accessible from the homepage! It's also intuitive to build a wardrobe centered around you- and not fast-fashion trends. You can functionally sort items (garments, tech, accessories) by color, mood, size, and more. Although it's comparable to Poshmark or Depop, your money will go a lot further on Curtsy than either aforementioned.
Still not paying for audible, using Sora
But, if you are no longer a high school student, look for Libby, Hoopla, or similar from your local public library. Sora is an ebook app affiliated with high schools, which lets you borrow audiobooks and ebooks. Libby and Hoopla also let you watch movies, shows, and listen to music (replacing the $15 Netflix subscription!) If you're interested in weening away from social media, stepping into audiobooks is such a great place to start. Admittedly, I'm a college freshman, but my Sora account from high school is still working- so I still use it! It was a lifesaver when I transitioned into having massive periods of free time, and easily accessible when I didn't have the autonomy to drive to the library and get a library card. P.S. None of this comes with a monthly cost, only the taxes you already pay. Why not use the library?
Falling in love: Me, my finances & Mint
With less time looking into other people's lives, I found I had a lot more time to look at my own. I thought about my personal habits, goals, and direction, especially in a financial sense. Mint is a personal budgeting app- it can tie in your investments, savings, credit balances, and more. It serves you clear analytics, budget tracking, and credit score tracking. It's compatible with the intuit financial suite, for easier taxes, accounting, and financial wellness.
No car, my best friend is Uber
My region is not walkable and does not have public transportation infrastructure in place. But... we do have lots of people driving with Uber! I particularly appreciate the new Uber Rewards program and the option to ride with an electric vehicle.
Mediating no socials: I have a Discord!
Let's be so honest. If you're young, removing social media from your life is a barrier to making connections. Especially when entering new communities or institutions (college, summer camps, internships), it's isolating to be left out of group chats. The first half of conquering this hurdle was understanding how to spend time alone, and be happy by myself. The second half was understanding where I should meet people in the middle, while still living life how I want to. Discord, for me, became the bridge. The mechanics allow you to meet new friends, stay in contact with old friends, and create a further sense of community. I preferred this over Facebook messenger or redownloading Instagram.
It's been 6 months now since I've been on any social media. I can confidently say I'm happy with the change, no matter how nervous I was at the beginning. My first-month logging off was a test to see how I would feel; I journaled to keep track of progress and emotions. I wrote this, about seven days in, and it still resonates stronger than ever:
"I feel a sense of identity and agency back that I worried I never could have. My relationship with social media has been parasitic for a long time. My identity felt empty, because I wasn’t allowing myself time to engage in hobbies. I felt nervous often, at the idea of predictive algorithms dictating my interests. I wish I could tell myself it would only take a week to come back to a version of me I love." Tyler Macro, 30 Days Without Social Media: Notes
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