Activity #3: Getting Off the Grid

Zeina M. Shurbaji

Department of International Studies, American University of Sharjah

SOC 201: Introduction to Sociology

Dr. Yuting Wang

Sep. §4, 2022

 Activity #3: Getting Off the Grid

I have uninstalled all the social media applications for 24 hours, from the 12th to the 13th
of September.

On the particular day of the 13th, I observed many behavioral changes. Firstly, I spent
quality time with my mother on the balcony when I woke up earlier than I had to, rather than
scrolling through social media. Next, while traveling to the university by public transportation, I
called my high school best friend because I could not access WhatsApp, and we tried catching up
through our lives. Now, I finished my classes at 10:45. On the way home, I listened to my
favorite surat in the Quran and just sat back and relaxed. After that, I started working on two
written assignments at 1:30; I finished the work in a much shorter period than usual, at around
5:00. I went to a swimming practice for about 2 hours with my neighbor. Since I have no social
media apps to check notifications on or browse through, I could sleep much earlier than usual, at
9:00, although I typically sleep after midnight. In short, the behavioral changes observed are
productivity, getting more sleep, sitting less, and having more control of life.

Regarding my mental state, I may have experienced some anxiety and stress throughout
the day during my free time, which could be because I am used to accessing social media
platforms to connect with others. However, my overall experience was positive! I was satisfied
with how the day had progressed and how many things I had accomplished compared to other
days. Furthermore, I became more mentally energetic as I was not exposed to any distractions;
this made me direct all my focus to a single task at a time. Lastly, the shift from communicating
through text messages to phone calls has engaged me with others as we got into more in-depth
conversations.