If you were to ask a teenager one thing that they cannot live without, an answer that you would most likely hear is their phone. Having a phone with social media is a blessing in 2025, and it is unbelievable that the whole world can be stored and found in just a few taps on a small, rectangular device. Yet as much of a blessing as it may appear, it is just as much a curse. 

Like many students, I am unfortunately addicted to my phone, with 8 to 10 hours a day on it. Unfortunately for me, at the time this was written, it was one week before the final exams, and I knew I needed to change. In order to reduce my procrastination when it comes to studying, I have decided to quit social media for five days to see the effects.

The Challenge

This challenge would require me to delete every single social media platform I have, including TikTok, Instagram, Pinterest, and anything similar to those. Over the course of the five days, I have documented my experiences and emotions throughout this journey, to see if a social media detox is actually worth it.

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Day 1 – Monday, December 8

After one full day of no social media, I immediately thought that I would not last the rest of the week. I constantly picked up my phone, waiting for a single notification to distract me from reality. I wanted to open Instagram to see what topic my friends were discussing today, any story that people I barely knew would post, or any hot gossip online at the moment. 

This made me realize how addicted I was to social media. I found myself bored with everything and anything, and the unfamiliar sense of normalcy started to sink in. Despite my attention span being as horrible as a goldfish’s, I still felt content that I wasn’t being overwhelmed with information that I would forget in a couple of scrolls.

“If people spend a lot of time on social media and do not focus on their own life, it could totally impact their performance at school,” Nikki Sixivay (10) said.

I noticed that I had dedicated myself to my work with fewer distractions and points of procrastination. Despite missing the feeling of being in the know online, there was a feeling of satisfaction knowing that my mind was clear enough to think on its own.

Day 2 – Tuesday, December 9

The second I woke up, I knew I felt different. It felt as though I had weight released from my shoulders, and my mind was free of the shackles of media. However, I still had the urge to reach for my phone to reinstall every app and gorge my brain in media again.

As I went about my daily routine, a sense of normalcy and content had sunk into my consciousness again. I felt more at peace and focused at school. I was less tired and actually efficiently worked on my assignments, which were finished in half the time I would usually finish them in if I still had social media. Most importantly, I started to be more aware of my surroundings. 

“Those people who are online all the time don’t get enough social life. In person, you get more social interactions and get to understand what human beings are like,” Chi Vu (10) said.

I noticed the little things of reality that I take for granted—how the sun shines onto the green scenery outside my own house, the quiet mornings, conversations with friends that actually matter and aren’t partially paid attention to. 

In just a matter of a few days, I was able to shift completely from media dependent to socially aware. This dramatic shift may seem a little unbelievable to others, but to me, it made me realize why this challenge was needed for my own mental and physical health.

“[Estelle’s] been happier,” Amielle Burog (10) said. “There would be times when I would try to talk to you, and you’d be a little stressed out.”

Day 3 – Wednesday, December 10

I believed that I had a good run so far in the challenge. I was actually enjoying this more than halfway through and contemplated extending the detox just for my own benefit. Little did I know, it turned out to be the hardest day yet. The instinctive pickups of my phone, the fear of missing out, and the boredom were hitting harder than before, even worse than day one.

I started to realize that I actually needed my phone to do important things. There were times that I found myself trying to explain something, answer a question, or update someone, but all of my most important daily apps were heavily restricted. Most of the ways that I get into contact with someone were through online platforms, and that was taken away from me.

Even though these problems arose, I figured that I didn’t need social media to do most of these things. Working around all of these problems made me reflect on how I felt as a kid without social media at all. It made me truly understand why this feeling felt so natural, yet so complicated.

“Instead of just watching social media content, try to work on other hobbies or new activities,” Sixivay said. “There are many takeaways on social media where it would be very negative.”

Day 4 & 5 – Thursday and Friday, December 11 to 12

These last two days of the challenge were such a blur. I completely forgot that I was doing the challenge. At this time, I was really focused on trying to study and do homework without any distractions. The urge to go on my phone was at the back of my mind, and I could really care less about social media when I had other priorities.

I realized that before I would have just come up with any excuse to get off my phone and scroll my stress away, but now I was the complete opposite. I started to remember past concepts clearly and actually completed the hardest math problems with ease. I started to grow more confident with my studying skills, and I kept studying to the best of my ability.

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The Results

Last year, when I did little to no studying and got decent grades, I was constantly on social media and had an average of about 10 hours a day. After this challenge, I studied about four hours a day and understood hard concepts that had taken me weeks to understand. I am way more confident in my final exams, and I believe that my scores will be way stronger than last year’s.

As this challenge comes to an end, I realize that social media, despite how fun it may be, is not a core aspect of my life. In a world where social media is starting to become a main way to bond with others, stepping away from the upbeat world of trends has become a great way to reset mentally, emotionally, and physically.