SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — A San Diego teen took a jump when she decided to quit social media. At just 16-years-old, many teens today couldn't think of doing so.
Alexa Mendes said she knew she had to cut the cord after recognizing that she was addicted to the likes, shares, and interactions online.
"It is difficult enough to try and manage our overwhelming lives already filled with extracurriculars, sports teams, clubs, honors societies, difficult classes, insane amounts of homework, the pressures of applying to prestigious universities, and an abundance of other expectations," Mendes writes. "On top of that, we are always thinking about our online profiles."
So she curbed her online presence back. In doing so, she learned a lot and turned those lessons into a book: #Unsubscribed: How I am thriving in high school without social media (and you can, too).
"It wasn't that difficult. It's something I'm passionate about since it's part of my life and my experience and story to tell," Mendes said.
Now, Mendes' message isn't that teens should drop social media entirely. Instead, she hopes her story can help others strike a healthy balance.
"Over time, I realized that the key wasn’t to abolish my usage completely--it was all about becoming balanced and finding a way to use social media in moderation," she writes. "There are suggestions on how to transition from addiction to moderation — all while maintaining a social life."
Mendes' book is available on Amazon.
