1 Media Deprivation Essay Omar Queisi Siena Heights University Technology Michael Winstrom September 20 2022 2 Media Deprivation Essay On a normal day, when I wake, I check on my Facebook account to see whether there was any information that I could have missed the previous day's night, check on the new updates, especially in my Facebook groups, and then have a short conversation with some of my friends whom could have texted me. Then I switch on my favorite radio, and start the day with the nittygritty. If I'm going to work, I may decide to pick a magazine or newspaper from a vendor and read it throughout the ride to the workplace. During the daytime, I usually log in to my social media platforms, such as Twitter, Instagram, or TikTok, to see what has been trending, friends post, and also, I can post what I feel like posting. Also, at some time, I find myself watching music on YouTube. I also continuously converse on Telegram, WhatsApp, or other social media platforms and post my content. Most of the day I spend on my phone helps me be up-to-date with what is happening in the rest of the world. For instance, I read the Russian- Ukraine war update, accidents, and other political events. In the evening, I spend hours reviewing dance tutorials and news, or I switch on my Favourite TV show, the Daily Show. I may also find myself watching a movie. When it comes to bedtime, I have to be on my phone. I have to converse with my close friends, view some Twitter updates, and do some tweets before sleeping. During the one-week break from social media, I structured a plan for the activities that I would undertake. First, I set up a morning schedule whereby I would physically exercise, either taking a morning run or doing some workouts. Then I set a recipe for the foods that I would have to learn how to prepare. I also set time to visit my family, who live outside town. I also set myself to learn one foreign language, Arabic. Then, during the week, I committed to not reading newspapers or magazines, using the internet, reading, or using my social media platforms. Since I'm with my phone most of the time, I restrained from using it for other reasons than calling or 3 receiving calls. During the one-week break, I lost and, at the same time, gained other new experiences. I never knew what was going on in the Internet World. I was saved from the negative reactions from social media platforms, especially concerning my posts. I was also free from saddening and frightening stories, such as news related to accidents. I also missed some of the political events. I also missed some important moments with my friends who had some events arranged over one of our facebook groups. I also missed important information about the school events hosted in the week and the venue communicated through the class group. I used the extra time with more constructive activities. I engaged in a physical exercise routine through the break that effectively enhanced my physical fitness. I also learned some new cooking skills. I also gained some interest in learning Arabic and basic knowledge about the language. Within that break, I was unable to sleep adequately. I realized that too much time on social media platforms deprived me of sleep, so I could feel exhausted during the day, which could also affect my productivity. Within the weak, I appeared very active, and my labor productivity was very high. The one-week break also helped me to enhance my relationship with my family. I also learned the need to spend time with my family, making me closer to them. I also learned that too much time on social media gave me burnout. As a result, I learned the need to regulate my time on my phone and other media platforms. During the one-week break, I lost some connection with what my usual friends were doing. I was also free from saddening information from the newspapers and other media platforms, such as innocent people dying in Ukraine. I was also free from negative comments from other people on my social media platforms on my posts. During my session in the gym, I had a lengthy conversation with a guy who taught me the need to invest in my health. I spent time with my family and learned I had missed a lot. In the workplace, my productivity was high, 4 I was in the right mood, and I enhanced my relationship with my colleagues. One of my colleagues in the workplace commented that I looked more jovial than usual. I also learned the need to involve myself with people who can help me grow, rather than giving myself a lot of pressure to adopt a false life that has been influenced by people's posts on social media platforms. During the one-week break, my mood improved. The workout and morning sessions help me get rid of the burnout. I could also have enough sleep, which helped me attend to my daily activities without feeling tired. Having time with my family was joyful and made me happy to be with them. The physical exercises helped me to be jovial for the rest of the day and increased my labor productivity at the workplace. I created new friends, which was the most fulfilling moment of my life. Even though the first few days I was moody and felt incomplete, I felt better with time since I had already adopted a media life routine. I realized there are more constructive activities I can engage in rather than spending a lot of time on media platforms. I was also happy because abstaining from social media platforms spared me negative comments from those who disliked my posts.
