Escapees September-October 2024

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RVers’ Sharing Tips, Opinions and Advice from the Road Submissions sent by e-mail can be directed to departmentseditor@escapees.com.

I’m on a Social Media Detox: Here’s What I’ve Learned

see the Grand Canyon, but I also wanted to share the Grand Canyon, and because of that I wasn’t always being present. There isn’t anything wrong with wanting to share the moment, but it can also take away from the experience. Taking this need to share out of the equation has allowed me to really immerse myself in everything more, it takes out the distractions and brings me back to a more child-like state, more curious and even more playful. The need to share our lives on social media can stem from the subconscious need for external validation. There is no judgement in that, we can all be guilty of it. We see a lot of really cool things on the road, and it feels good to have others validate that experience with a like or a comment. But the truth is, there is an incredible amount of freedom that comes with stripping

Whether you’re 16 or 61, chances are you are or have been on social media. TikTok, In stagram, Facebook, X and Snapchat are all great networking tools that keep us con nected no matter where we are, but what happens when you cut it all o ff ? I have been on a social media detox for awhile now, and it’s been eye opening to say the least. I think social media has some undeni able positive bene fi ts. I’ve used it to meet new people, connect with other nomads, share some beautiful views with family and friends, and to keep up with current trends and events. Although all of these things are great, they can come at a cost. people between the ages of 15-64 have an average screen time of about seven hours per day. Most of this time is spent scrolling social media. Since deleting the apps, I have cut my screen time from six hours to one hour per day. That is fi ve hours per day of my life back! I am reading more, writing more and have so much more free time to explore new hobbies. The RV lifestyle provides a unique experience and opportunity to share on social media. The question I initially asked myself to kick off this journey was “how much does social media control my travel experience?” I started re fl ecting on my motives and how often I spent time in beautiful places thinking “how can I get the instagram shot?” I found that more often that not, my hikes and day trips were planned around where I could take the best photos. Of course I wanted to When I was active on social media I spent an average of six to seven hours per day on my phone. Although that seems like a shocking number, it turns out, this isn’t abnormal. A quick google search will tell you that

the need for validation from others. There’s no more comparison to what other people are doing or seeing. Another powerful realization I’ve learned is how social media can create a false sense of connection. We live in a time where we are more connected than ever, yet a lot of people are experiencing loneliness like never before. This can come from comparing ourselves to others and not feeling good or successful enough, and because the dopamine that comes from getting a like online isn’t true connection. Sitting by a camp fi re

and scrolling or talking through messenger is nothing compared to sharing a S’mores or watching a sunset. When you take time off the apps, you fi ndoutwho your people are. The people that reach out and ask how you’re doing, that make an effort to visit and camp together, that want to hear what’s going on and not just see it in their feeds. I truly believe everyone could bene fi t from a social media detox, whether that be deleting the apps forever, taking a month off, or just limiting screen time. To explore without purpose. To fi nd out who we are outside of the in fl uencing trends. To be present in the moment without scrolling. To be truly free. After all, that’s what RV life is all about. Kelley Welch #17356

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September/October 2024 ESCAPEES Magazine