My relationship with social media has changed quite a bit in the last nine months. Back in March, like many others, I found myself stuck at home with time on my hands.
My job involves a lot of film watching, it’s my go to, so as lockdown took hold I started watching films. Everything from new releases and old classics to short films and features. I was already a Netflix subscriber but I also signed up to BFI Player, Amazon Prime Video and MUBI as well as a bunch of online festivals. Looking back at those first few months I find it a bit disconcerting that I didn’t really consider other ways of filling my time.
I immediately turned to online entertainment and not just screening platforms but social media too: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and even TikTok. My screen time was around four hours a day and that was just my iPhone!
I was so used to sharing experiences with others and I guess I was trying to replicate that in a virtual world by tweeting reviews, reposting stuff I liked and scrolling through miles and miles of social media feed looking for recommendations, information and connection.
The novelty soon wore off and after overindulging in the first few months I found myself disengaging from social media altogether - choice overload. There is definitely more content now as the social media market becomes increasingly oversaturated but there’s always been too much choice, right? So why was it suddenly an issue?
Perhaps the pandemic has changed my relationship with social media because my life looks so different now. I no longer scroll through Twitter on the bus to work because I no longer get a bus to work, I walk 10 feet from my bedroom to my home office (also known as the kitchen table).
Social media used to be something I fit in around other things and those other things aren’t there anymore, at least not in the same way. I don’t post as much because I’m not experiencing things in real life and I guess that is what inspires me.
I’ve also stopped watching films (!) and I think it’s because of how much I miss the communal film experience. I have managed to go to an actual cinema this year and see a couple of films in the period between lockdowns and it made me appreciate the magic of cinema more than ever - sitting in the dark with strangers or friends, completely immersed.
Whilst watching stuff at home I didn’t get through a single film without pausing it at least once to make a brew, check emails or feed the cat and it’s just not the same.
So now I’m filling my time with lots of non-screen based activity; colouring, drawing, cooking, walking, jogging, making silly videos that won’t ever be posted online. It’s less... noisy, there’s no paradox of choice. I’ve come to realise that my online world is nourished by my real world and that’s kind of on pause for now, and so is my social media use.
I’ll no doubt be back though, and when I am, feel free to give me a follow.
Amy Smart works at Film Hub West Midlands, the Flatpack Festival and is a member of the Diaspora Screen Media Network.