In an environment where social media is heavily integrated into campus culture, students said they may find themselves comparing their reality to other people’s highlight reels. This dynamic has the power to shape how students think about themselves and each other.
Social media offers connection and entertainment and serves as a window into people’s lives — but constantly indulging in it can quietly impact mental health and self-image.
“It’s a big part of this era we’re in; everyone is connected to everyone through social media, so it totally makes sense that rising screen time is happening,” said junior Jillian George, RISE student organization liaison. “But also, it can be a little discouraging because a lot of us spend a lot of time on our phones instead of talking to each other in person.”
First-year Taylor Wooton, student event planner for RISE, said she believes the common habit of constantly indulging in social media was amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Everyone was inside so much so everyone just relied on that [phone] and that’s just stuck with a lot of people, especially teenagers in a developmental stage at the time,” Wooton said.
Relationship With Screens and Social Media
When college students constantly consume media and see what society pushes to be normalized, it can lead to insecurities and a negative mindset, Wooton said.
“When people spend an excess amount of time online, there’s a lot of spending time inside rather than outside and doing a lot of less physical things, when being outside and being social has proven to make people happier,” Wooton said.
Pepperdine students said they feel pressured to be online and active on social media, especially Instagram.
“Whenever we see other people’s highlights, it’s like an iceberg,” senior TYGA Yeom said. “We’re only looking at the tip top of the iceberg and we don’t really see how they worked on it or how they are struggling.”
First-year Faith Kohr said she prefers to stay off social media as much as possible, especially as a busy Screen Arts major and Songwriting minor. While she sometimes finds herself ‘doomscrolling,’ she uses it more to show her family and friends the place and environment she’s in now, especially being from Tennessee.
“It’s super fun, but it can be healthy to have a manageable time that you’re on it and drawing your attention to it,” Kohr said.
Setting Intentional Time Away From Screens
The moment Kohr said she realized the disadvantages of social media was when she noticed students glued to their phones instead of communicating face-to-face and having conversations.
“Phones or social media can control the room and be more of something we’re relying on,” Kohr said.
George said it’s important to spend time away from screens.
“It’s a healthy habit,” George said. “Especially if I find myself really attaching certain parts to my identity based on how many followers I have, or how good my post does.”
George said social media should solely be used as a form of communication, as it was intended to connect people, but it should not make people feel bad about themselves or second-guess what they’re doing.
There are a multitude of ways for students to disconnect from the world, Kohr said. As a Songwriting minor, Kohr enjoys turning her devices off and playing her guitar and singing. She also said she’s a big fan of The Well.
A recent Waves Church sermon from Pastor Taylor Walling made Kohr realize she needed to give her time more to God, rather than endlessly scrolling on her phone, Kohr said.
“If I can be consuming knowledge over something I’m not going to remember a minute later, it’s going to be way more beneficial,” Kohr said.
George said she enjoys meditating, especially at times when she feels herself getting overwhelmed.
“I really like to just meditate and think about what I’m feeling and why I feel that way,” George said.
Wooton said she prefers to lock her social media apps from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. It helps her stay off her phone during the day, but she still has time to use it while getting ready in the morning or while winding down in the evening.
Unplugging From the Digital World
Malibu is home to over 20 miles of coastline, as well as the Santa Monica Mountains, giving students endless access to the beach and mountains. The nature aspect of Pepperdine’s Malibu campus can encourage many students to reconnect with the outdoors, Kohr said.
“We’re in Malibu,” Kohr said. “This is the beauty of the world. If we just look up at the ocean or sky, walk outside, it doesn’t get much better than this.”
Looking at how the campus overlooks the ocean, especially on the first floor of Payson Library, Kohr said she realizes how beautiful her location is. Her favorite beach is Zuma Beach, which is less than 10 miles away from campus.
Zuma Beach is where Kohr surfs and the environment helps her stay away from social media, since she said the beach isn’t a place to be glued to her phone.
Faith Kohr smiles while taking a day off to surf and spend time disconnected from social media in Ocean City in Aug. 2024. She grew up as a competitive swimmer, but started learning how to surf last year. Photo courtesy of Faith Kohr
Yeom said Stauffer Chapel is an escape from digital noise.
“Whenever I go to church, I interact with people,” Yeom said. “Whenever I interact with people, I’m not using my cell phone.”
Advice On How To Be More Present
Kohr said going for walks is a helpful way to step away from social media.
“Even without music, just listening to nature and the wind, maybe even taking your shoes off and being completely grounded to the earth, it really helps,” Kohr said.
Kohr said strolling in Alumni Park helps her to be present in reality beyond social media.
“We’re not made to know everything, even on the news or social media,” Kohr said. “We’re not made to have all this knowledge.”
Another way to disconnect is to socialize and connect with people in person, Kohr said.
“Scheduling intentional time with friends is so important — times to go eat with friends or go shopping, even just going to the beach,” George said. “Just having intentional moments with your friends outside of social media to really connect.”
George said another way to be more present is to delete social media and go on a one-week detox.
“See what you can do with the time you would usually spend on it, see what type of connections you can make outside of social media,” George said.
Wooton said she recommended partaking in Outdoor Recreation.
“It’s an opportunity to connect with people you wouldn’t seriously connect with outside of it and be in places you wouldn’t be in otherwise,” Wooton said. “Finding something you enjoy more than going on your phone helps.”
Wooton said she likes going to the gym with her roommate, but she said every individual should find their forte.
“You do have time to do those things if you just take time away from being on screens,” Wooton said.
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Contact Jordan Baquiran via email: jordanisabel.baquiran@pepperdine.edu