It’s Difficult: Going 24 Hours Without The Internet

Being set the challenge of going 24 hours without the internet doesn’t sound like a big deal, if you say it quickly. The idea of going one day without checking your Facebook or scrolling through Instagram sounds pretty easy. It even sounds kind of liberating, don’t you think?

I certainly did anyway. In fact prior to the day of the challenge I was feeling pretty excited. With claims of “it’s only a day, really” (more to convince myself than anyone else, I’ve later realised) I turned all my devices onto aeroplane mode and began to plan how I would spent my full free day.

Maybe I’d finally start reading that book that’s been lying on my shelf for God knows how long or maybe I’d take a walk to the beach and check it out. That’s something I’ve been dying to do for ages.

But I didn’t get chance to do either of those things.

Within two hours on the day of the challenge I had crumbled. Despite trying to not be connected I couldn’t escape the notifications, emails and app updates that were blowing up my phone and I had to check them out.

It seemed that on the one day I didn’t want to use my phone, I suddenly became popular. But I don’t really have anyone to blame here.

I had failed my challenge within only two hours. That’s like the time it would take to watch one movie, or two episodes of the latest hit on Netflix. That’s nothing and I was so annoyed.

I was also ashamed and embarrassed that I couldn’t even go a couple of hours without being drawn to the online world. I honestly thought it didn’t mean that much to me and that this challenge would have been something I could have flown through.

Wait, I am addicted to the internet?

(Read the second part here)

This post is a part of a university assignment I was set. It will be a three part post regarding the internet, social media and other people’s views. Normal service will continue on this blog throughout these posts. Cheers for you patience and stick around for regular posts.

Speak soon,

Rachael.