Social Media Fast: Details and Instructions

The time has come.

This week is a good time to start your three-day social media fast. Again, this fast will serve as the basis of your in-class autobiographical essay next Thursday.

Start no later than this Sunday night.

Here are the instructions:

1. Stay off all forms of non-essential social media for three days (72 hours) straight. This includes, but is not limited to, social networks (e.g. Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, Pinterest), micro-blogging sites (e.g. Twitter, Tumblr), media sharing sites (e.g. Instagram, YouTube, SoundCloud), gaming platforms (e.g. Twitch, Discord, PSN), messaging apps (e.g. Snapchat, Kik, WhatsApp), and dating apps (e.g. Tinder, Grindr, Bumble, POF).
2. Texting is okay, but the less you text, the better—maybe try an old-fashioned phone call! Email is okay, too.
3. Every night of your fast, take a few moments to reflect on your social media-free day. Write about the experience in a short paragraph (handwritten or typed is fine; you will use these notes in class). Think about how you feel, what urges you had to fight, what was better or worse than you expected?

Remember, I will be doing this experiment right along with you. With the exception of Blogger, which I need for my classes, I'm going social media-free, too.

Good luck to us all!