#SocialNetworkDetox

I haven't been very active (at all!) in most of my social networks. I started detaching myself from Tumblr, (if I remember correctly) in 2013. Then, after my teaching practicum, some time in August 2014, I started to detach myself from Twitter. And finally, after my graduation (not the ceremony), I started to log off of Facebook in July 2015. Most of the time when I tell people I haven't logged into FB more than five moths already, they'd utter 'Wow' followed by the perplexed how-and-why-did-you-do-that??!! look. 

With Tumblr, it's not that I don't find it useful, Tumblr CAN be useful, and sometimes you get to learn new things from the RTs (is it called RT? I forgot, what do they call that? Re-tumblr? Re-tweet? repost?? see? I've been away THAT long I'm forgetting the terms they use), and to some extent, it's where we get updated with what's going on with the world. It's sort of like another mixed platform for youngsters. And after spending too much time scrolling and scrolling and scrolling, I started to feel like... I'm not doing much with my life. I'm not MAXIMISING MY TIME and MY POTENTIAL like I should. I feel useless. I hate feeling useless (Just to clear things up, I never say or hinted people who Tumblr are useless, okay? I never). I just feel like there's gotta be more than just this- sitting and scrolling, yada yada yada. And to be honest, I think that this awareness (?) or sudden realization was an effect that Yong said to me when we met at KLCC. Before we departed, she told me to 'Start living, and be strong'. Somehow, that left me quite an impact (a positive one as you can see!). So, Yong, if you're reading this, thank you for telling me that. :) Now that I'm off Tumblr, that's one less distraction to deal with.

Now, for Twitter. I honestly feel that there's SO MUCH negativity going on in Twitter, people talking bad about others, calling names, subtweeting (not quite sure if that's exactly the term used), etc. It's just, not the kind of environment that I want to put myself into, or let myself be surrounded by one. So, I stayed away from Twitter. Initially, it was quite difficult, but my teaching practice kinda helped me make it easy. Teaching practice was really tiring (but I learned a lot!), and I have to prepare my lesson plan for the next day/week. Plus, it was during fasting month, so energy-wise, I just ain't got no time to deal with external negativity yaw. hahaha After my teaching practice is when life really happened. I started getting real busy with applications (lots and loads of paperwork involved, and not to mention awkward essays ;p), IELTS preparation and at the same time juggling with my academic paper, classes, tests and exams. Because the main reason I stayed away from Twitter is the negativity spreading like a disease, I created another private Twitter account whom only my trusted friends know about it, for me to only follow positive accounts and read positive things (and sometimes rant. :p). I was being very selective with what I read, I made sure that it's only positive things.

The last one, Facebook. Oh boy. I admit, the first five days was pretty tough because my hand automatically click the new tab, type 'F' (cuz when I type F, it immediately shows 'Facebook.com', goes to show how often I open it huh?) and hit Enter. It happened so fast for the first few times. Like driving, your hands just know where to go, what to hold. Sometimes it just happens, almost like it was your subconscious mind doing it. Then I realized what I was doing, and quickly hit the close button. Phew. Then it got easier and I can control myself (and my hand) from subconsciously opening the page. And without me realizing it, I've been away from Facebook for 5 months! 

Now, I'm not saying that social network is the demon and all. It all goes back to HOW you use it. You have the power to choose what you want to consume, what you want to be influenced by... basically, the power IS IN YOUR hand. Unfortunately, as much as I wanted to continue living life without these social networks, my mom (surprise surprise.... hahaha) has lectured me on the importance of getting into social network by stressing on the opportunities that I've missed. I'm not complaining because she definitely has a point. I did miss out on things, which is why, she's convinced me to get back to my social network accounts. If you want to argue 'you could have just mute or unfollow people on twitter if they're being negative', don't worry, my mom lectured me on that too. Hahaha So, if my mom, who is not a social media addict, tells me to get back at it, then what Ibu says, I, her daughter, shall abide.

Well, let's see how this goes.