«I could delete everything, but the urge isn't there»

I'm on Instagram, Tiktok and Snapchat. I just scroll through Tiktok to pass the time. I also post on Instagram myself, but rarely. That means I have two accounts there. On one, only my closest friends follow me. I post there more often, about once a week. For example, funny videos of things we've experienced together. I don't pay attention to what I look like there either.

I do on the other account. I'm not interested in follower numbers. Likes aren't that important either. Of course I'm happy when someone leaves a heartfelt comment. But I'm more interested in sharing memories. With older posts, I used to think: «Wow, what I've revealed about myself!» Today, I'm more careful on social media.

Especially when you're not feeling well, you quickly forget your worries because you're so distracted.

I've never had any hate comments. For a while, a few guys from my class wrote stupid things under my posts. «You're fat» and stuff like that. But it didn't really bother me. Probably because I knew them and could imagine why they felt the urge to write something like that. And once, two or three years ago, a 30-year-old from the neighbourhood wrote to me: «Bisch Single?» I wrote back: «Stop, I'm 15!» All I got back was: «Yeah hey, not so bad.» I thought that was funny.

I spend a total of four or five hours a day on social media. It's just mega-easy entertainment. Of course, a lot of time is lost. But it can also be enjoyable. Especially when you're not feeling well, you quickly forget your worries because you're so distracted.

Tiktok is extremely addictive

But a year or two ago, it really got too much for me for a while: my social circle wasn't that big back then, so I sometimes spent the whole day on my mobile phone. That naturally led to discussions with my parents. But at some point I realised myself that this wasn't good. Now I consciously delete this or that app or switch off my mobile phone.

I can absolutely imagine that social media is bad for the psyche. You see so many faces, people, other lives. It gives you the feeling that your own life isn't as exciting. Or you think: «I don't look as good as them.» You are also massively bombarded with information. There should be much more control over how realistic it is. It also seems dangerous to me that the algorithm only shows what you believe anyway. I find it blatant how all this is accepted.

A colleague of mine never had social media. That's why she doesn't need it now. I think it was much better for her. I would be fine today if I hadn't had any of it. Especially not Tiktok, which is extremely addictive. Of course, I could just delete everything. But the urge just isn't there.

I know it now and I know that networking and entertainment is cool. But I might regret later on how much time I wasted on it. In the meantime, though, I've found a level that seems okay to me. And once I asked my mum what she used to do when she had to wait, for example. She said she just waited. I suppose that wasn't any better. Today you just look at your mobile phone.