By Julianna Bryant
Julianna is a college student and member of the ConnectSafely Youth Advisory Council.
If you had asked me a few years ago if I could ever delete Instagram, after I had spent every summer begging my parents for an account, I would have interpreted the question as a joke. Like a lot of teens and young adults, Instagram felt like a normal part of everyday life – essential for my friendships, education, and leisure. However, recently many teens and young adults, including myself, are choosing to delete Instagram.
As a current college student, I was part of the generation that grew up with Instagram and other social media platforms. For many of us, Instagram wasn’t just an app—it was part of our routine. That period between waking up and actually getting out of bed? Open Instagram. Waiting in line somewhere? Scroll Instagram. Bored while studying? Instagram again. For me at least, this was automatic, like muscle memory.
But over time, I started to feel differently towards the app. What used to feel fun and light-hearted sometimes stirred up negative emotions. First, I began to notice how easy it is to compare your life to what you see on Instagram when everyone is posting perfectly curated highlight reels of their accomplishments, friend groups, and lives. It was easy to feel behind in life and overly conscious about my own carefully curated highlight reels. The pressure to post was also draining as I scrutinized pictures of myself, imagining what others would say and think about each photo. Finally, the constant notifications, messages, and likes can make it difficult to truly disconnect from Instagram, even with your phone turned off, to focus on relationships, schoolwork, and hobbies. Over time, all these thoughts add up. I interviewed a Junior in college whose Instagram hiatuses last several weeks. She told me, “I always feel so icky, and just gross, and disappointed in myself when I get stuck in a rabbit hole on [Instagram] Reels…like I couldn’t tell you a single thing I just watched in the last hour.”
Therefore, I’m not surprised that more teens are deciding to take a break from Instagram. The student I spoke with says she deleted Instagram because she “[spends] too much unproductive time on [Instagram] and [doesn’t] have the self-control to limit [her] screen time while still having the app.” Many of my classmates who deleted Instagram say they suddenly have more time – turns out those 15-minute breaks added up to hours on Instagram. Without endless scrolling, they spend more time hanging out with friends, focusing on school, or just doing things they actually enjoy. I have also noticed that when friends take a break from Instagram, they start paying more attention to the world around them. They just experience beautiful moments, without being worried about angles, lighting, or how others would perceive the same moment.
When I deleted Instagram about 2 months ago, I spent the first few days mindlessly trying to find the app that was no longer there – just out of habit. This wasn’t because I needed Instagram, or even wanted it, it’s just where my fingers would go. But, over time, I realized that I didn’t even miss it, that I didn’t even realize it was deleted, and that is something I take both pride and relief in.
In no way do I believe that social media is completely bad. My Instagram app is deleted from my phone right now, but it likely won’t be forever, as I didn’t delete my Instagram account. For a lot of people, it’s still a great way to stay connected with others, and taking a break from Instagram must be a personal choice. But I think what’s changing is that teens are starting to question how these apps actually make them feel. If something that is meant to be fun ends up causing stress or insecurity, it makes sense to step back.
Balance is also key. Finding balance with social media is really about making sure it stays a tool and not something that controls your time or attention. When teens are able to step away from apps like Instagram when they need to, it shows they are learning how to use social media in a healthy way instead of feeling addicted to it.
I am very proud of my generation’s self-awareness and willingness to reflect, as this shift is a really healthy sign. Our mental health is more of a priority for us and we are setting more appropriate boundaries with technology. This is not always easy, especially when everyone around you seems to be online all the time, but my friends who do have Instagram are very understanding when I can’t open a video they send me or respond to their DMs.
In the end, logging off doesn’t mean you are missing out. For a lot of teens, it actually means gaining something back—more time, more peace of mind, and a little less pressure to live life through a screen. So, take time for yourself to reflect and reevaluate your dependence on social media and see what you learn, Instagram will still be there when you are ready to go back.
The opinions expressed in this post are those of the author. They do not necessarily represent the views of the ConnectSafely Youth Advisory Council as a whole or ConnectSafely.