Will Hoogendyk IV, Campus Carrier sports editor

We live in a world today that is connected digitally in many ways. It seems like almost everyone has three or more social media apps on their phone, and every spare second they have is spent scrolling through content or checking alerts. Many may call this “doomscrolling,” others may justify it as a productive use of their free time. People today are replacing authentic interpersonal communication with cheap screen to screen connections that they label “friendships.” In my view, this trend should stop.

Great memories in life are best when they are shared with people. During college, when students gain independence and freedom for the first time, trying out new things with other people creates memories that will last as long as life itself. When colleges like Berry are so focused on student involvement, there are plenty of opportunities throughout the week for students to mingle and interact with each other. Berry offers a wide variety of things to be a part of like clubs, Cultural Event credits and intermural sports.

Even if you don’t particularly enjoy doing outside activities like hiking, walking or pickleball, there are plenty of things to do with other people that make life so much sweeter. Perhaps join the Valhalla’s Volunteers and spend a part of your weekend serving others. Join a group fitness class in the Cage Center and make meaningful connections. None of these activities can be replicated through a screen. 

Many people consider themselves popular simply because of the number of followers they have next to their name, but if you were to ask them how many of those followers they know on a personal level, it would be far less than that. Social media has become a place for  one-time relationships where people connect for a brief moment, exchange a few words, and maintain a relationsip of exchanging likes, comments or reposts. Social media is in the business of manufacturing experiences for its users, and this proves to be detrimental to 
human-to-human relationships.

Now, I am not saying that social media is evil and should not be used at all. I am simply expressing that more emphasis should be placed on the relationships we cultivate every day rather than the ones we keep up with online. We cannot be sucked into the idea that scrolling through the many posts of influencer’s vacations takes the place of our own vacation. We cannot be duped into thinking that our lives will never be as exciting as other people’s. If all we do is sit and look through social media, how can can we make our lives just as exciting as the influencers lives?

We must get out ourselves and live. Whether that means getting friends together for a game night or going out to eat, small experiences like these have a huge impact when you can share memories and laughs with those close to you in your life. Not only that, but doing these things will help establish connections with others that can last a lifetime. It is so helpful to be able to pour your time, effort and resources into others and is extremely rewarding when you realize how much it means to them. All of this to say, I encourage you to start hanging out with your friends more and to get off your phone every once in a while to realize the benefits of being with others.