Let’s Disconnect for a Day! Assignment #1

This assignment requires disconnecting from social media for 24 hours. Prepare, reflect, and analyze the impact. Get help with your assignment at Desklib.

Let’s Disconnect for a Day!
Assignment # 1 (Worth 25%)
This assignment will require that you give up access to one social media
related technology (of your choosing) for 24 hours. This could be no cell
phone, no email, no Twitter, no Facebook or Snapchat etc., the choice is
yours! This means that you need to plan ahead! You might need to get an
assignment completed before the day it is due. You might need to let you
friends, family, coworkers, and professors know about your unavailability.
You will probably need to think about how you will spend your time because
temptation will likely be strong.
You may choose any 24 hours. This can be during the weekend if it works
better with your schedule.
The assignment is divided into two separate deliverables (field notes and a
mini paper). Both components are due together in ONE file to the assignment
# 1 dropbox in eConestoga. You can copy and paste your field notes into a
word document for submission. For the mini paper, please write your
responses directly below each question listed in this document. Please use the following
naming format for you assignment submission – First initial, Last Name, Course Code and
Section, and Assignment. E.g., anoskoLIBS19702Assignment1.
Overview of field notes:
In order to get an accurate view of your experience you will be jotting quick
reflections on paper (or on your computer, if you choose) every 3 hours (that
you are awake) during the assignment. You can use the excel spreadsheet
provided – Assignment # 1 Field Notes Spreadsheet.
Every three hours record your answers to the following questions:
What time is it?
Where are you?
What are you doing?
Who are you with? (don’t use proper names – just describe the
people in terms of their relationship to you – e.g. “study group”,
“guys from my frat,” “my boyfriend” etc.)
Have you been tempted to use technology in the past 3 hours? If
so, why?
Any other details of interest
What
time is it?
Where
are you?
What are
you
Who are
you with?
Have you
been
Any other
details of

doing? (don’t
use
proper
names –
just
describe
the
people in
terms of
their
relations
hip to
you – e.g.
“study
group”,
“guys
from my
frat,”
“my
boyfriend
” etc.)
tempted
to use
technolo
gy in the
past 3
hours? If
so, why?
interest
6:00 am. Home Reading
newspaper
With my
father
No Tried bird
watching
9:00 a.m. University Preparing
for
assignmen
t
With my
peers
Yes, for
checking
my mails
No
12 noon Library Reading
books
Alone No No
3:00 p.m. Cafeteria Spending
time with
friends
With my
classmate
s
No Tried to
interact
more with
my peers
6:00 p.m. Home Cooking With my
family
Yes, for
watching
web series
No
9:00 p.m. Home Spending
time with
family
With my
family
No Tried to
know how
the day
went for
my family
members
Overview of mini-paper:

The paper should be approximately 2-3 pages or 750 words, double spaced.
The paper will have two sections (written before and after the 24 hours of
disconnect). Please respond to each question in full sentences.
PART 1: The first section of the paper will be written PRIOR to your 24 hours
of disengagement. In the first section of the paper I want you to answer the
following questions:
1. What are you doing to prepare for disconnecting?
I decided to prevent myself from using the internet, in order to see how I
would be able to cope with my social life. In order to prepare myself from
disconnecting from the internet I am restricting my usage of the telephone,
unless extremely essential. I am trying to utilise my leisure time in a better
way by interacting with my family members and friends. I have also started
maintaining a journal or diary where I am noting down the major events that
are happening on a regular basis.
2. What do you think will be the most challenging aspect of
disconnecting? The easiest?
One of the most challenging aspect that I expect to encounter, after
disconnecting from the internet would be my urge to check emails, play
games, and watch videos. I usually spend most of the time checking my
emails and binge watching different web series. Hence, it would be difficult
for me to abstain myself from that habit. The easiest aspect would be
preventing myself from socialising with friends and acquaintances, since I do
not like being an active member of social networking sites.
3. Are you excited about this assignment? Why or why not?
Yes, I am extremely excited about the assignment since I will be able to
spend more time with my family member, and friends. Abstaining use of the
internet will also allow me to actively participate in activities that I find
pleasurable. I would be able to pursue my hobbies and be able to reduce the
favour for gadgets. The project will also provide me a sound understanding
of the negative impacts of addiction to technology.
PART 2: After your period of disconnection please answer the following
questions. Your answers to these questions and overall reflections on the
experience will comprise the second half of the paper.
1. What ended up being the most challenging aspect of
disconnect?
The most challenging aspect was not being able to binge watch my favourite
television and web series. I usually spend a substantial amount of my leisure
time in watching such programs, and end up being deprived of sleep. During
the initial stages, I felt the urge to switch on my laptop for watching these
programs, and felt restless at the idea that my assignment requires me to
refrain from such activities.

2. What ended up being the easiest (how was this different from
your expectations)?
I had expected that I would also find it challenging, not to check my mobile
and laptop for emails. However, it the process turned out quite easy, in
comparison to my expectations. I remained so engrossed in reading books
that I gradually lost the impulse to check my mails
3. Did the disconnection have an impact on how you view yourself
and your behaviours in general? (e.g., did you act differently,
did you feel any different)? Why or why not?
The disconnection did indeed create an impact on my life and actions. I
realised the fact that we end up devoting a lot of time to the internet, which
can be utilised for some productive work. I also recognised the wonders of
nature and spent a considerable time in bird watching and book reading. I
felt more contented as an individual by realising that the more time we
spend in the internet, the less time we are able to devote o the individuals
around us.
4. Did this assignment change the way you view your own use of
social media? Why or why not? In what ways?
The assignment played a major role in changing my view of the social media.
Earlier I was of the opinion that social media helps us to connect with people
and spending a substantial time in such platforms are not of any harm.
However, after the assignment I realised that spending more time in social
media makes us lose emotional connection and also decrease our ability to
communicating in person. It also creates difficulties in conveying authentic
expression of our feelings.
5. Was your disconnection difficult for others in your life? Who?
Why? In what ways?
Disconnection was not difficult for others in my life since most of my family
members do not spend adequate time in the internet.
Be certain that your paper honestly addresses what you really missed
throughout the day, the reactions of others, what (if anything) you gained,
and any insights or frustrations that participating in the exercise caused.
Make sure to include concrete details about what you did with your time and
whether you will think differently about your social media use in the future.
Do not use first names in the paper (say “my roommate” rather than “Bob”).
Grading – 25% of your final grade in the course.

References
Lin, L. Y., Sidani, J. E., Shensa, A., Radovic, A., Miller, E., Colditz, J. B., ... &
Primack, B. A. (2016). Association between social media use and
depression among US young adults. Depression and anxiety, 33(4),
323-331.
Matrix, S. (2014). The Netflix effect: Teens, binge watching, and on-demand
digital media trends. Jeunesse: Young People, Texts, Cultures, 6(1),
119-138.
Przepiorka, A., & Blachnio, A. (2016). Time perspective in Internet and
Facebook addiction. Computers in Human Behavior, 60, 13-18.
Rideout, V. (2016). Measuring time spent with media: the Common Sense
census of media use by US 8-to 18-year-olds. Journal of Children and
Media, 10(1), 138-144.