It’s undeniable that Facebook has become part of our culture. In fact, I don’t think I know anyone who’s vaguely my age who isn’t on Facebook. Surely though, it isn’t essential to modern day survival – I’ve heard rumours that there was a time when Facebook didn’t even exist! So what would happen if someone gave up Facebook today? Would they be unable to handle the isolation and be found, weeks later, curled up in the foetal position in the corner of a cupboard somewhere or would they simply become so productive that they would become the most advanced human being on Earth? There’s only one way to find out so, in the name of science, I selflessly gave up Facebook for two long weeks.
Day 1
The last thing I did before leaving Facebook was put up a status informing everyone of my decision to leave the site. Not minutes later I found myself desperate to log back in to see the flood of distraught comments from my friends telling me that they couldn’t believe I was gone!
Just before I left, Facebook informed me that all of my friends will miss me and then assured me that if I’m upset with the way it does anything, it can change. I’ve had less emotional break ups with girlfriends.
Day 2
I’m organising a Debating Society social for tonight but I don’t have a clue what’s going on. I have no idea how anyone ever organised anything before we had Facebook events… I can’t imagine doing it, it’d be like washing clothes without a washing machine – I wouldn’t even know where to start.
Day 4
I’m starting to feel very isolated. It’s like I’ve gone to live in the woods or something… like I’m outside society just because I’m not using Facebook. It’s a weird feeling.
Day 6
My course at Uni is English Literature. This means I have to read two to four books a week. Usually I find myself speed reading books the day before I have a lecture or seminar on them but today I was reviewing what books I need to be reading over the next few days and I realised that I’m an entire week ahead with reading. I never realised just how much time I wasted on Facebook every day.
Day 7
I’m getting bloody tired of people who don’t answer their damned phones! I’m having a birthday party tomorrow and my friend, Chris, is supposed to be driving me into town for a booze run but I don’t know when or where we’re supposed to be meeting. I’ve been phoning him for the last hour but he still isn’t picking up… I bet he’s on Facebook chat though…
Day 8
It’s the night of my birthday party tonight and I’m pretty nervous. I have no idea who is and isn’t coming because I can’t check Facebook. I really don’t know how people ever met up with each other without Facebook events now.
Day 9
The party went down last night without a problem. Plenty of people turned up and it was a bloody good night! It just goes to show that we don’t need Facebook to organise things, we don’t need it to waste our time on and we don’t really need it for anything at all – except perhaps finding out whether that girl you met last night has a boyfriend.
Day 10
It’s my birthday! I’m intrigued to find out how many people have written on my wall but I’m not that bothered. According to my sister, Facebook has already changed in the nine days that I haven’t been on it… I feel out of touch…
Day 11
I don’t understand what has happened. When I first gave up Facebook, my productivity rates went through the roof but I’ve found myself back at square one. I still haven’t touched Facebook but things aren’t getting done anymore. I’ve just found other ways to waste my time and I haven’t even realised that I’ve been doing it.
If you’re thinking you want to give up Facebook so that you’ll have more time to be productive, don’t bother, it won’t work.
Day 13
Well it’s the final day of my Facebook embargo. Just one day before I log back in and see what’s been happening. It’s a bit of a relief to be able to log back in but it’s a bit of a disappointment at the same time. It was certainly inconvenient not being able to go on Facebook because it was a useful tool but at the same time it was nice to be free of it.
Also, I better have a lot of notifications.
Day 14
Log-in time. Entering my email and password is scary and seems alien to me after all this time. I can’t believe it’s only been two weeks.
Amongst other things, I’ve been tagged in five posts, 67 people wrote on my wall for my birthday (Mr. Popularity!), five photos of me have been tagged and I’ve been invited to some sort of electric house party. On the one hand, I don’t really care, but, on the other hand, I’m going to stop writing this article now so I can catch up with everything I’ve missed.
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