I Didn't Ghost You. I Just Deleted Snapchat.

We are all consumed by this one thing that unknowingly takes up hours of our day. It’s included in our screen time summary, giving us a comprehensive overview of how we spent our time.

I remember when I got my first iPhone and started downloading every social media app that was available. I didn’t even know what a “streak” even was when I would snap people. I had no clue what that number was. But every day, it would go up.

Fast forward a few years to high school. I was a Snapchat PRO. I was on the app 24/7. During any free time I had, when I first woke up, and right before I went to bed. It didn’t get any better when I went to college; in fact, it probably got worse.

I always tinkered with the thought of deleting the yellow ghost, but the sad truth is this: most of Gen Z uses this as their main line of communication. I mean, people even use their snap group chats more than the ones created on iMessage.

It was Saturday, September 9th, when I woke up feeling so weird. I didn’t want to be on my phone, nor did I want to open any particular snaps. I said to myself, “I’m 22 years old, why am I snapping photos back and forth with people?” Because it’s the only way we would stay friends or relevant in each other's lives? 

When is the age in which we are collectively as a society supposed to stop using Snapchat? 

I feel after 22, we have to stop because being 24 and super active on snap just rubs me the wrong way, especially if you’re a “man.” Even at 22, I hated how much I was on the app.

Anyway, back to my social experiment. I told myself, “One month without Snapchat.”  I wasn’t worried about too many things other than how my relationships would change. Who would reach out to me after not answering their snap after 1 day? 2 days? You wouldn’t believe the number of people I had to tell that I just deleted Snapchat, that I didn’t ghost them. 

But that’s the thing! I shouldn’t have to tell people I didn’t ghost them, but because Snapchat is the mainstream of communication, I CLEARLY had to make that clear. 

As someone who always has her phone on “Do Not Disturb,” the first few days I kept checking to see if I had any notifications, only to realize my phone is fucking (excuse my language) dry without Snapchat. Kaydee, Layla, and Bella were the only three people I originally told that I was going to delete Snapchat. 

In the next few days, texts trickled in from friends asking, “Did you die?” “Are you alive?” “Why haven’t you snapped me today?” “Do you hate me?” Mind you, this was all because I didn’t answer snaps.  

I wouldn’t say I tried new hobbies during this “newfound freedom,” but I definitely found myself more focused and less stressed in all aspects of my life. At work. At the gym. 

Now that I’m thinking about it, that really is my life: gym, work, sleep, repeat. While it may sound boring, I find peace in my routine.

I found myself getting through books a lot faster. I was adding more movies I watched to my notes titled ‘Movies List.’ I wasn’t just rotting my spare time snapping photos back and forth, waiting for certain people to answer me. I also felt free from answering certain people. Do you get what I’m saying? Like snapping some people felt like a task? Don’t get me wrong, there were people who made me not want to delete Snapchat, but I text them daily regardless; you know who you are;)

I genuinely thought I would cave after the first week, but then it got easier. It was one less “chore” to do. However, I will say the one thing I missed most was the ability to save constant memories. I always saved photos and videos on Snapchat, hardly ever on my Camera Roll. I feel there’s almost like a tell as to what gets saved where. 

Another thing I found was that half of the people I snapped would I consider friends? Because I know if we didn’t snap, we weren't texting, and it showed.

The one thing I found funny was receiving Snapchat text AND email notifications, telling me “You received new snaps” or “So and so added to their stories.” I just giggled now writing that. 

So today, I can officially download Snapchat and I genuinely don’t think I want to? There’s something quite nice about not knowing what other people are up to because why am I on delivered for 8 hours when that never used to be the case? It can drive you crazy, especially when you’re an overthinker like me :)

It’s 31 days later, so the question is, do I download Snapchat again? Let me know!

You received a snap from,

Gianna

P.S. Why am I waiting for a short king's snap to determine my mood?