My confession: I AM ADDICTED TO INTERNET (Tips)

Hai! 

It's been a while since the last time I posted in this blog. The sixth semester was make me gone mad. Never ending assignments, tasks and papers were succeed to grasp my spare time. It was common for me to sleep after midnight, at certain moment when I had assignments to be submitted I even sleep at 3 a.m with laptop still on, woke up at 6 a.m to finish all the things and went to my campus in rush. I think almost everyday I nearly fallen asleep in almost all my morning classes and to make it worst, I always sat in the very front row in the class, so...yes, I am sure the lecturer always caught me. Taking notes was not really helping because sometimes I scrawled things on a paper which I didn't even know what it means. The way I chose to shoo sleepy feeling away was excuse myself to the toilet and while I walked I stretch my body as if I was going to exercise, in the toilet I splashed my face with water in a hope I could wake up. Sometimes it worked, sometimes not. Thank God, I could pass the whole semester in relieve...well, yeah, not really because only two subjects which the final grades is already announced, but anyway, let's hope for the best!

Picture is taken from: Source.

In the past few months, I discovered that I am addicted to smartphone, to make it more detail: to internet and its social media. In the very beginning of my sixth semester, I often found myself laid on my bed scrolled Instagram, Twitter and Facebook feed at 6:30 am while I had class at 7 am. I did shout to myself, "GET UP! YOU HAVE A CLASS IN THIRTY MINUTES!!!" but my phone was more attempting than the lecture. At one point, when I felt I have to take an action, I decided to uninstall my Instagram and Twitter application, now there are only LINE and Opera Mini which stay installed in my phone. Oh, I still set Twitter and Facebook as bookmarks, though, I don't want to live in a cave you know. Then, I googled for tips and tricks escaping from internet addiction but I found them not suit me. And, finally, I seek for my own way to escape from this addiction. The process is not instant, failure is a common thing since I am not a discipline person. Here are few ways I do to reduce my addiction. 

P.S: I am still working on it therefore I cannot say that I have succeeded myself, but I can see my addiction is reduced step by step.

1. Reading

When I was in high school, I often spend my time to read books, lots of books. I could finish a thick Harry Potter 8th book in 3 days, I even forget to eat or take a bath. When I was seeking for the alternative way to reduce this addiction, the memory of my reading habit came up in my mind. I thought, "Hey, why don't I try it?". I assume, if back then I could forget "everything" while reading, in the present time I also can forget "everything" including my social media. Therefore, this holiday I try to bring this habit again with reading a book I already left for a semester. It is a book entitled 'Don't You Forget About Me' by Alexandra Potter, given by my boyfriend in our second anniversary. To be honest, I am not a kind of 'heavy book' reader, I prefer to read teenlit or chicklit, whatever related to romance and drama. Typical, right?

Does this effort works?

I can say, YES! Even though it is not as fast as reading Indonesian novel (I still lack in vocabulary so I often consult my dictionary to find the words' meaning), but when I am away from my book I will be like pointless, nothing to do. Now flipping my book pages is more fun than scrolling my phone screen.

2. Travelling

When I am travelling, sometimes I lose the signals and sometimes I am too busy admiring the nature therefore I forget my phone. Back then, I did often grip my phone since I used its camera to take photos for blog. Thank God, I have a camera right now so I can leave my phone peacefully in my bag's pocket.

Does this effort works?

Definitely, YES!

3. Working

Now I work at Via-via Fair Trade Shop Jogja as a freelance shopkeeper. The tasks are sometimes lots so I cannot check my phone very often. It's my second day of work but, I kind of enjoy it because I feel so productive.

Does this effort works?

YES! The plus side is, I get salary from this effort :p

4. Sleeping

When I really don't know what to do, I will just sleep, left my phone ringing without picking it up. But this way have negative effect; I feel unproductive every time I wake up.

Does this effort works?

Of course! Nobody checks phone while sleeping.

I know, I am not the only one who suffer from internet addiction. You, who know reading this post, are probably suffer in this addiction too. I tell you, do not take this post as a guideline in reducing internet addiction, take this as a reference in finding your OWN way to reduce your internet addiction. I, myself, am very sure it's only you who can make yourself escape from this addiction. Every person is different, therefore every person has its own way. I can only suggest you to know yourself first, then seek your own way to recover yourself. Internet supposed to be considered as a reference only, not a guideline.

If you have a different way to heal yourself from internet addiction, feel free to share it in comment box therefore it can be read by others who suffer from internet addiction also :D

Thank you for reading this post, I hope this post is useful for you, the readers.

Take care, God bless!