The opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not reflect the views of her campus.
This article was written by a student writer from her campus chapter in Tampa.
I’ll be honest: I spend way too much time on social media. I mindlessly cruise through TikTok, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, and Pinterest, scrolling, scrolling, scrolling for dopamine surges and fulfillment. Corruption on social media is not an entirely new phenomenon. In 2024, it is mainly widely known that this ritual has a negative impact on mental health. But this is a behavior I've practiced for a good portion of my life, and it's become a daily habit. This is a habit I haven't had the energy to change unless I spend significantly more time scrolling than usual.
That is, until recently. And for mental health, not for external reasons like attention span or dopamine detox. The real reason I'm trying to reduce my social media use is because I'm tired of too many ads.
I've been spending more time on social media than usual, so I've been surprised by the amount of advertising on all platforms. TikTok shows ads after about 3 videos. Not only are there traditional promotions from big companies like McDonald's, but my feed is filled with videos sponsored by TikTok shops. Most of these videos I've seen are of young women promoting shirts from their TikTok shop, claiming that they are the best shirts they own, and that Shirts have just dropped in price, and you'll be missing out if you don't buy them now. I'll miss it. Sponsored posts also appear when you're scrolling through someone's page. And these videos. teeth. So. It's redundant. “This viral shapewear took me to the moon.” “Don’t walk. Run to the TikTok shop for Skims camo.” “This viral shirt didn’t come to play. isn't it”.
As a college student, I find it fascinating to create sponsored videos for my TikTok shop. I don't blame the people who made it. It's an easy way to make extra money. My problem is that social media, and indeed the internet as a whole, has become less of an escape from reality and more of a distorted extension of it.
I'm an advertising and public relations major, and in my classes I learn a lot about social media and influencer advertising, the prevalence of social media in marketing, and profitability. At first, I thought maybe I was so excited about social media advertising because I could see through the tactics of influencers trying to sell me products. However, many of my friends with unrelated majors shared similar opinions. TikTok is just one way to fuel excessive consumption.
So I decided to actively reduce the time I spend on TikTok and all other social media platforms. I know that social media is often a big part of my career path, so I'm on enough platforms to stay up to date with trends, but also offline enough. So you have to find a balance where you don't feel like you're making progress. I'm always involved with them. Here are the five lifestyle changes I make to achieve this.
- Feeling lonely and in the mood to scroll? Call a friend or family member. Don't want to talk to anyone? Please stream the podcast.
- Instead of scrolling through TikTok before bed, read.
- Are you in the mood for a laugh? Find stand-up comedy specials on Netflix or YouTube.
- Want some inspiration for fashion, cosmetics, etc? Read online or physical magazines.
- Are you playing with friends and everyone is using their cell phones? Ask if they want to play a question game. A friend of mine told me about this. When the conversation stalls, she ends it with a question like: “If you were a fruit, what kind of fruit would you be?” or “If you were a drag queen, what would you call yourself?”
In an age where social media can feel inevitable, it's important to remind ourselves that we still have agency and control over how we spend our time. I hope that the changes I am about to make in my life will be worthwhile. I also hope I can inspire others who feel the same way to change their social media habits.
