Two Weeks of Vacation from your Phone? 

Six months ago, I joined the rest of the modern world and downloaded Instagram. With nothing but a brief wait for the app to load, I became interconnected with the rest of my peers — a fact which became particularly relevant when I left for Loyola.

Despite the ten hours separating me from my high school friends, we cheered each other on through likes, comments and nearly 10,000 reels. Instagram became a significant aspect of making new friends too. Instead of exchanging phone numbers, I’d share my Instagram and get to learn a bit about the person I just met. 

Even the reels were helpful. When the awkward hour breaks between classes became increasingly evident in my schedule, I’d fritter them away in just a few scrolls.

 After the days I had seven classes, reels would be there for me too. What better way to spend those extra hours before bed? Soon I’d find myself scrolling when I’d meant to turn off my morning alarm or turn on some music, as Instagram invaded every corner of my life. 

So, one month ago I decided to delete it. 

It wasn’t for a deep reason. I wanted to focus on finals, but the two weeks challenged my perceptions of how and why I was interacting with social media. 

On the first day, I repeatedly scrolled to where the infamous app used to be, frustrated by the blank spot on my page. The process repeated on the second day, and finally started to subside by the third. 

Why do we find ourselves so attached to the shiny apps littered across our phone screens?  

Well, they’ve been designed for just that. Part of the enthralling aspect of these programs is the lack of “stopping cues:” no matter how far a user goes, there’s never an end to the content. 

As college students, however, we’re drawn in by another aspect.

A study in 2024 explored the relationship between academic burnout and addictive use of social media and found a strong predictive quality between the the level of academic burnout in someone’s life and social media addiction. In short, the more burnout you experience, the more likely you are to be attracted to negative social media habits. 

By the end of the first week, I began to experience some of the social repercussions attached to this break. In the same way I’d built connections through interactions on Instagram, the rapid cut off of these interactions had the potential to damage them. 

To my surprise, the transition off Instagram was relatively simple. My friends simply switched back to our main method of communication: texting. Instead of a pile of reels to search through, I was left with an overwhelming sense of calm. 

The level of connection social media provides can be an incredible tool. Yet, we don’t often consider the level of mental fatigue which comes with being connected to everyone always. I never considered a sense of peace might be a side effect of my hiatus, but a 2025 study review  suggests that it should have been: “A consistent finding across the reviewed studies was the strong association between social media overuse and symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress…” 

With the near effortless integration of social media platforms into daily life, stepping back can feel daunting. A two week break provides a middle ground. It doesn’t come with the level binary commitment that a strict social media ban holds, while also allowing the participant to experience what a pause may feel like. 

Whether or not the costs of social media are worth it is a choice only an individual can decide for themselves. It’s not a black and white situation, and there’s not necessarily one right answer. 

This is why the two week vacation is an imperative life experience. 

I’ve found my way back onto Instagram for now, but with full knowledge of how it impacts me. When my burnout resurfaces, or I begin to feel overconnected, I know removing the app will become the healthier choice for me. 

If someone has never experienced the world without social media, how can they know that its use is truly the best decision for them?