After being unplugged from social media for eight months, I have concluded that social media is necessary for fast individual success.

In a previous article – “Human Vs. Computer: The Setbacks of Social Media” – from the February, 2019 issue of Mainstream, I asserted that social media “simply overstimulates, creates drama, and gives people a major case of FOMO.” Although I still find truth in this statement, I now realize that completely removing myself from the digital loop did more harm than good. Sure, I had more time for self-discovery, but not having social media kept my growth stagnant because I could not network with people who could have aided my progress even further.

So, after eight months of non-activity, I decided to redownload my favorite apps: Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter. Instantly, I was overwhelmed by how many people I had access to; not only could I follow the one chick that I always see in the halls or the one dude who is friends with that one friend of mine who is in college, but I also had access to people in specialized businesses.

In “Human vs. Computer,” I mentioned that taking a break from social media allowed me some introspection and allowed me to discover that I am passionate about music. However, signing back into my social platforms helped me reaffirm this musical passion as it gave me access to people within the music industry whom I had not heard of in the past 8 months. Not only was I able to brainstorm some new music projects with people my age on Apple Music and Spotify, but I also gained access to people in the music industry through the contacts of these same individuals. If I hadn’t branched out into social media again, I wouldn’t have made these valuable connections.

Social media acts as a social networking web, a place where your interests are actualized. I learned that time away from social media is essential for growth, but I also learned that it is important to recognize when it is time to get back into the digital game. It is important to be in tune with yourself and recognize when social media becomes engrossing rather than obliging. People should take breaks as necessary.