I did some cleaning recently and I cleared out some old stuffs but for some, I couldn't bear to do so. I know it takes up some space but considering they were in clear plastic file holders, they were still in pretty good condition. And also, these were done pre internet and social media days. I kinda stopped but few years ago, I started to keep photo albums instead. I don't really take many photos because I just needed a few to print for memory keeping. Usually significant events like birthdays, gatherings, and outings like the one you see above. I know it's just me standing like a statue but see the facade of the City Hall behind me? It is bathed in red and white light in commemoration of our National Day celebrated last week.
So these have sentimental values that perhaps years down the road, I will look at them and reminisce about how I spent my past time. And then, I kinda felt upset about myself too like how much I used to learn a lot from thick Q & A Children's books and be fascinated about different facts. But now I hardly learn anything and just get rather engrossed in the world of social media. While in fact, I should continue to learn, not for the sake of getting a better well paying job or for another paper qualification, but rather to build on my own knowledge.
That was my source of entertainment, and of course, being a teenager also means following certain artistes and I would buy magazines and then would keep the articles in the clear folders as well. Then I started to learn less. However, I also started reading more action books though it was mostly from the same author, Clive Cussler, and how when they build the momentum for the main character, I got excited as well.
Computers back then were very expensive though of course, I would argue they still are, depending on what model and brand you're getting. I was a student in the 90s and spending time in the computer labs were precious, until I discover online chatting and I got addicted, so that would be another story I would rather forget, lol. The internet started to be introduced as well but it was pretty slow (remember the phone dial tone?) Then my eyes started to open up to new ways of learning and my gosh, there was so much information you can get at your fingertips.
Nowadays, I try to replace some of the time on social media doing other useful things like writing out this blogpost. At least it diverts my attention away at least for some time, and perhaps can entertain that one lone reader of this blog too, lol. I also do journaling because I missed the feeling of writing and reflecting. And I have been doing this for a couple of years. Now it's less about me complaining but more about my daily lives, though I still rant amidst the self reflections.
I don't think I can completely give up on social media because as much as it can suck you into some vortex, being interested in other people's lives, I can also gain knowledge from it besides having it as a source of entertainment. Sometimes, the content of some people I follow get repetitive but I can't fault them because they are also using social media as a source of income too. Social media is also used as a platform to, unfortunately, cyberbully other people which I don't condone of course but the way people respond to them as though supporting them, I feel that we have become too entitled and unkind.
So there's pros and cons, and one of the best things I feel that I should be doing more is to go back to basic. Spending my time more wisely that will benefit me and creating memories like how I used to do quite a lot in the past. Maybe, this one I would say I partially am still keeping up with though admittedly I am quite lazy to print the pictures, haha. Or after I print, it will take me a long while to keep them in the album. But now I will make more effort. Maybe write some notes or decorate as well. Last time I used to cut out the photos even, and then do like a scrapbook style of decorating, I would say my first foray into papercrafting.
Now I hardly ever do, except making gift boxes as part of my small business, but for my friends' birthday recently, I made some laminated cards for them like this one. I realise how making these things used to be stressful for me if it was a custom order. But if I am making it for leisure, it was more relaxing, perhaps only stressed out because I always seems to do it last minute, prior to meeting, haha.
I also want to catch up on reading, which I kinda lost interest though I still do read, if the book is interesting enough for me to go from chapter to chapter.
I think it takes a lot of baby steps before I can 'detox' myself from social media coz it's so darn entertaining and a great time filler, haha. And I often lost track of time when clicking on the 'explore' button. But yah, there's more to life than these constant short bursts of entertainment. I think one of the things we can do, if you face the same predicament like I do, is to write a list of things that you can do and most likely enjoy as well, to replace the time scrolling through IG stories and feed. I may not be able to go back to the past when life was not consumed by social media but I can still make changes to improve and not be so reliant on it, so much so, I don't get to do other things that I should be prioritising instead.
We can think of every action that we are taking right now, as 'investment' into our future. That way, we will be constructive with our time as once the minutes and seconds are gone, you can't get them back. Lost of precious time, just because we are too consumed with social media. Come on, we are better than that :(
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