In today’s constant stream of internet interactions, many students find themselves becoming too addicted to everyday usage of social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Vine, Twitter, Youtube, Reddit… the list goes on!  “Cleansing yourself” of the social medias has become a popular occurrence recently, in which individuals avoid the use of the internet, televisions, and smart phones entirely. The main problem with doing this, however, is finding ways to keep yourself occupied. There is no denying that it is challenging, but once you realize how much fun you can have offline you will forget about newsfeeds and hashtags althogether.  Here are a few tips to get you started:

Read. Find a great book and immerse yourself in it. Once you get your hands on a good book, you’ll find it hard to put down for even a second. There are genres out there for people of all shapes and sizes. I highly recommend Lightning written by Dean Koontz.

Hike. Go with a group of friends, and make your own little corner of the world for a few days. It’s easy to find hundreds of small hiking trails throughout the world, and if you really want to shoot for the stars, try hiking one of the more famous trails, like the Appalachian trail. If you don’t think you’re ready for the full challenge, hike a trail in separate sections. Nothing helps to forget about the internet better than sleeping under the stars.

Drive. Pick a place really far away and drive there. Road trips are a great way to bond with new friends or old ones, and you’ll get to see and experience the world from an entirely different perspective. Don’t just drive from point A to B, either. Stop in small towns, take scenic detours, and just have fun with it! If you see a sign for the world’s best pie, go try it! Instead of reading someone’s Tumblr post, drive on the open road.

Scream! Take the free time you’ll find yourself with to push your own limits. If you’ve never been on a roller coaster before, go to an amusement park. Do something to really get your adrenaline pumping. If you really have the desire for excitement, try working your way up to skydiving! Instead of reading someone’s status, YOU’LL be the one with the story to tell.

It may seem like there isn’t much to do without technology, but people have been getting along fine without it for a very long time (See “Technology: Causing Us To Age Early“). Who knows, giving up social media just might change your life. Eventually social networking sites will just be places to store all the beautiful pictures you’ll be taking, and all the great stories you’ll want to share. Give it a try and let us know how it goes (once you get back online, of course).