Facecation: When someone takes a vacation from Facebook, a popular social networking site that it notoriously addicting. Facecations are usually taken to spend more time on homework, activities, job, etc. -- Urban Dictionary
In light of my last blog post, “Procrastination”, I decided to take my outlook on spending time wisely to a new level - I vowed to take a Facecation. While you politely hold back your snorts and giggles, I will tell you: it is not an easy task.
My Facecation began on Monday evening as I vowed to my best friend via text, “I think I’m going to take a break from Facebook for a week or two :0” A moment later I received an encouraging response, “LMAO! That’s the funniest thing ever!” Gotta love moral support. After relaying reason after reason for my choice, I deleted the application from my phone and blocked all e-mail notifications from the website.
Why did I do this?
Hilary’s daily routine:
- Alarm goes off.
- Check phone for notifications from Facebook.
- Shower, get ready.
- Check phone for notifications from Facebook.
- Trek to school, find a decent parking spot.
- Check phone for notifications from Facebook.
- Journey across campus.
- Go to Facebook application and scour people’s status updates from the night before.
- Class time.
- Facebook while walking to car.
Lather, rinse, repeat. After every “task”, I travel to my phone for the crutch that is Facebook.
Keep in mind, it is only 9:50 on Monday morning and I have already checked my phone five times! I decided this is not a good habit to have. Facebook is addicting and if you “love” it like I do, endless hours are wasted ... and for what? Why do I care if my friend from middle school feels like a BeeGees song? (That was the first band to pop in my head, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a BeeGees status update.) Why do people care to know how I am feeling or what I am thinking about? Well, that was my top reason for leaving the realm of Facebook, cold turkey, on Monday night.
Guess what? Tuesday went by swimmingly. Every time I thought about jumping on the computer and checking my Facebook, I did something productive - assignments, readings, future assignments - and it felt invigorating! Facebook was just another procrastination tool to distract me from the important aspects of my education and other things I had been neglecting. I fell asleep early (10:55, folks!) and all was well. (JK Rowling made it impossible for me to end my blog post with that line. I wouldn’t want to end this post with something as vague as that, anyhow. But it works in the non-Muggle world, apparently!)
Wednesday arrived with an anti-social cloud hanging over my head. I started wondering what my friends were doing, and if someone tried to contact me about something important, and pretty much every excuse from “stopping by your wall to say ‘hello!’” and death crossed my mind. As I look back on the situation, I hope someone would be courteous enough to call if a relative or a close friend passed on .. but, no, the Facebook curse will cause irrational thinking. I’m sure you can foresee what happened on Wednesday evening. I caved after only 48 hours.
Somehow, this short break actually helped! I am still productive, procrastinating less, and visiting Facebook less often. The Facebook “app” no longer resides on my phone, and the notifications continue to fester on the website (rather than my inbox).
Facecations - no matter how short - are a good thing, especially while attending college. I know some of you probably think I lead a sad existence because I rely so heavily on the activity of others, but for those of you who are equally as interested in the “magic” of Facebook ... I highly encourage a vacation every now and then. Plus when you log in, you have many notifications and you feel loved - almost like it’s your birthday!
In light of my last blog post, “Procrastination”, I decided to take my outlook on spending time wisely to a new level - I vowed to take a Facecation. While you politely hold back your snorts and giggles, I will tell you: it is not an easy task.
My Facecation began on Monday evening as I vowed to my best friend via text, “I think I’m going to take a break from Facebook for a week or two :0” A moment later I received an encouraging response, “LMAO! That’s the funniest thing ever!” Gotta love moral support. After relaying reason after reason for my choice, I deleted the application from my phone and blocked all e-mail notifications from the website.
Why did I do this?
Hilary’s daily routine:
- Alarm goes off.
- Check phone for notifications from Facebook.
- Shower, get ready.
- Check phone for notifications from Facebook.
- Trek to school, find a decent parking spot.
- Check phone for notifications from Facebook.
- Journey across campus.
- Go to Facebook application and scour people’s status updates from the night before.
- Class time.
- Facebook while walking to car.
Lather, rinse, repeat. After every “task”, I travel to my phone for the crutch that is Facebook.
Keep in mind, it is only 9:50 on Monday morning and I have already checked my phone five times! I decided this is not a good habit to have. Facebook is addicting and if you “love” it like I do, endless hours are wasted ... and for what? Why do I care if my friend from middle school feels like a BeeGees song? (That was the first band to pop in my head, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a BeeGees status update.) Why do people care to know how I am feeling or what I am thinking about? Well, that was my top reason for leaving the realm of Facebook, cold turkey, on Monday night.
Guess what? Tuesday went by swimmingly. Every time I thought about jumping on the computer and checking my Facebook, I did something productive - assignments, readings, future assignments - and it felt invigorating! Facebook was just another procrastination tool to distract me from the important aspects of my education and other things I had been neglecting. I fell asleep early (10:55, folks!) and all was well. (JK Rowling made it impossible for me to end my blog post with that line. I wouldn’t want to end this post with something as vague as that, anyhow. But it works in the non-Muggle world, apparently!)
Wednesday arrived with an anti-social cloud hanging over my head. I started wondering what my friends were doing, and if someone tried to contact me about something important, and pretty much every excuse from “stopping by your wall to say ‘hello!’” and death crossed my mind. As I look back on the situation, I hope someone would be courteous enough to call if a relative or a close friend passed on .. but, no, the Facebook curse will cause irrational thinking. I’m sure you can foresee what happened on Wednesday evening. I caved after only 48 hours.
Somehow, this short break actually helped! I am still productive, procrastinating less, and visiting Facebook less often. The Facebook “app” no longer resides on my phone, and the notifications continue to fester on the website (rather than my inbox).
Facecations - no matter how short - are a good thing, especially while attending college. I know some of you probably think I lead a sad existence because I rely so heavily on the activity of others, but for those of you who are equally as interested in the “magic” of Facebook ... I highly encourage a vacation every now and then. Plus when you log in, you have many notifications and you feel loved - almost like it’s your birthday!
I admire your attempt to take a facecation. I bet you didn't miss anything of any importance while you were gone. Furthermore, a facecation is probably the only kind of vacation I can afford to take!
I definitely need a Facecation. I'm addicted to Farmville, and can't seem to get any homework done until the last minute.
I am disturbed by your level of involvement with facebook & electronic devices in general. Though we are blogging at this very moment, it is an educational web page & we are discussing pro's & con's of the matter. Seriously, when was the last time you went a day without your cell phone? If you say never, I advise you to go camping once in a while. Or at least go to a park. Ride a bicycle. Get a life. I mean that in the nicest way possible.
Haha! I went several days without my cell phone this past Summer for that very reason - hiking, vacations, trips. A lot of my reasoning for being absolutely attached to my phone is due to my best friend living in Canada - that's how we keep in contact! But, I realize my life could use a little sprucing here and there :)
Sure, blame the Canadian for your dependency! By the way, the phone was invented in Brantford, Ontario, also the home of Wayne Gretzky. ;)