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College student went social media-free for 3 years. Here are the 4 surprising ways she 'missed out.'

A bit of counter-programming for those of us feeling guilty about our time spent online.

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Social media, when used wisely, can have a lot of benefits.

We've heard so much about how detrimental our collective reliance on social media is. How it robs us of our mental health (not to mention our joy) by making us compare ourselves to others, adhere to advice that is trending rather than what comes from a verifiable source, hyper-fixate on political issues in the name of staying “informed”…the list go on and on and on.

With these factors in mind, it’s understandable that many folks opt out of social media altogether. That’s what college student and TikTok creator Billy (@1ilyp00h) decided to do for three whole years.

However, after coming back to the apps, she was surprised to learn she felt like she genuinely missed out on some pretty good, life-improving things.

For starters, the motivation that comes from seeing other people’s lives.

@1ilyp00h just my thoughts from my own personal experience :) #socialmediadetox ♬ original sound - billy newspaper

Sure, not being inundated with content showing other people living their best lives (or at least curating it to look that way) helps you be “content” with yourself, which Billy admits is a “good thing,” but it can also pave the way to stagnancy.

However, “When you’re on social media, you’re constantly challenged,” she said, noting how it’s inspiring to see people starting businesses, doing a career pivot, or even "crazy" things like climbing Mount Everest.

Going without that kind of exposure, it became “very easy to convince myself that I was doing enough,” said Billy. But being back on, she’s reminded what other things are “possible.”

There’s also the connections she missed out on with friends who remained on platforms like Instagram, X, or TikTok, and did a lot of communicating through there via DMs. Not to mention, the memes brought up that she had no idea about.

“There will be social situations where people bring up something that is viral on social media…and you’re like, hey guys, I actually didn’t see that, but I would like to be involved in the fun.”

social media, digital detox, instagram, snapchat, tiktok, x, memes, college, mental health A group of friends looking over the same meme. Photo credit: Canva

Not being able to “mindlessly interact” in this way is usually seen as a good thing, Billy noted, since it encourages intentionality. At the same time, “There’s something to be said about how nice it is to just sometimes see something that reminds you of your friend and just send it off to them and that’s starting a conversation between you.”

Then, Billy mentioned losing the impetus to capture memories. A common complaint against a social media-driven society is how people miss out on the actual experience of an event because they’re too busy trying to record it. But in Billy’s experience, she regretted not doing it.

“There’s a huge chunk of my life where I just don’t have photos of what I did and it’s sad because I remember now what I did in that time, but 50 years from now…it’ll mostly be gone.”

social media, digital detox, instagram, snapchat, tiktok, x, memes, college, mental health A couple taking a photo of their hike. Photo credit: Canva

Lastly, Billy said she missed out on ways to stay in touch with peripheral connections, such as acquaintances or people she met in a brief moment, like at camps or during summer internships.

Without something like Instagram, these types of people “fall out of your life completely,” which Billy says is a loss.

Down in the comments, other folks also stood up for the potential benefits social media has given them.

“Positive things TikTok has influenced me on: owning dairy goats, canning my own foods, learning how to sew, going to engineering school at 34.”

“Ive learned so many new hobbies and am so influenced by cooking and fashion on there.”

Others agreed that maintaining certain friendships seemed impossible without it.

“It became so hard to keep those people in my life and all of those friendships really suffered the second I deleted social media.”

There is certainly good reason to be wary of social media, but what we garner from Billy’s story is that with balance, we don’t have to miss out on any of the aforementioned benefits that social media does provide. Of course, this is easier said than done, what with the very addictive nature of the apps. But what a reminder to engage in digital detoxes from time to time. Maybe not all of us can do it for three years. But three days? That sounds doable.

It might be difficult to go offline for any extended period of time. And just like Billy did, we’re sure to miss out on some things, since it is such a constant backdrop in daily life. However, doing so helps ensure that when we do come back online, we’re able to do it without losing a bit of ourselves.

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Young couple has second wedding for their '200 grandparents' they met at senior living home

"I need this. Bless this couple and their marriage and their big hearts."

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A couple who met while working at a senior facility got married.

Imagine a 15-year-old girl in high school getting a job serving food at a senior living facility. And just like that, she meets a co-worker, also in high school, who is helping out in the maintenance department. Would you ever believe they'd grow up and soon get married?

Well, that's what happened when Taylor met Jason. These Upstate New York residents were destined to meet at the Baywinde Senior Living Facility, where they not only developed a bond with one another, but became like family to the residents whom they lovingly describe as their "200 grandparents."

In a piece for People Magazine, Ashlyn Robinette writes that Taylor, in the eight years she has been employed at Baywinde, worked her way up from being a server to the dining services director for the entire facility. That makes this place doubly special to her, not just because she rose up in the ranks, but because, well obviously, she met the love of her life.

"The bride explained to the local news outlet that she affectionately calls the residents her '200 grandparents,' and couldn't imagine celebrating her wedding without them. 'I'm excited to celebrate this big chapter of my life with them,' Taylor said on her wedding day."

And so, although they had already had their first ceremony, they decided to have a second celebration at the facility so that their "grandparents" could join.

In the local report on News 8 WROC, she adorably jokes that she's not usually all done up for work, with meticulous hair and makeup. "Being a dining director, I don't look like this most of the time at work. So I think it's gonna throw them off a little bit, seeing me done up!"

The video shows beautiful images of the couple lovingly hugging and smiling tearfully with the senior residents.

Two employees at a senior home meet, fall in love and get married. www.youtube.com, News 8 WROC

The comments on Instagram are so very sweet. One person exclaims, "That’s lovely. That probably meant so much to those older folks. I bet they looked forward to that day for weeks!"

Of the couple themselves, people note that including the seniors is an excellent reflection of their character. "This tells us so much about them!"

The story seemed to bring much-needed joy to the readers. "I need this. Bless this couple and their marriage and their big hearts."

On a different Instagram page reporting the same event, a commenter writes, "How wonderful it must be to get to see someone so genuinely kind and caring in their job. No wonder they fell in love with each other."

They had a few more nods to the "grandparents." "How sweet! I'll bet all those grandparents are invested in their romance, as well."

And ultimately, after many hearts, prayers and few fire emojis, the consensus was that is adorable gesture from the bride and groom must have simply made the days of many of those senior citizens. A commenter perfectly shares, "If you've ever worked with seniors, you get it. This is so beautiful."

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Modern Families

Divorce lawyer uses his own ex-wife as a perfect example of how to view love after marriage ends

A divorce attorney sheds his cynicism about marriage to give rock-solid advice.

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A couple sits back to back seeming distressed.

Divorce can be one of life's hardest experiences. The cold, hard truth that not all relationships are fixable can feel excruciating when what one thought would be a forever love comes crashing down instead. But just because some marriages (or love stories) end in a split, it doesn't mean there aren't lessons to be learned. In fact, the pain could actually propel a person in a better direction, and into the arms of the "right match."

Divorce attorney James Sexton, Esq. (who deems himself "America's Divorce Lawyer" on Instagram) gives many inspiring (and, of course, practical) talks on the matter. In a clip making the rounds online, he gets extra vulnerable, sharing the idea that if you can strip away your ego and all the jealousy that might come with it, you'll get precious hindsight, wiped clean with perspective.

Tami Wollensak's, who does client-based work in divorce law, shard a clip of Sexton getting personal, using the chyron, "The best relationship advice you'll hear," on Instagram In the clip, Sexton shares, "My ex-wife is married for over a decade now to a phenomenal guy. Who is perfect for her. And he's nothing like me, by the way. Like if you met him—if you met both of us—you'd go, 'Well, no one could love both of these guys.' Like if you like THIS flavor, you wouldn't like this flavor. Like I'm impatient, fast-talking, skip-to-the-end, we've gotta land this plane, c'mon."

Sexton slows down his speech and softens his voice. "And he's a therapist. He's chill. He's patient. And they're perfect together."

What he says next is extra heartfelt and eye-opening: "And I can say that as someone who loves her and loved her. And knows her, and knew her. And I think if we can radically view, honestly, without jealousy—look at it and just go, 'Yeah. This is the love this person needed.' It doesn't mean my love sucks. Just means it wasn't the right one for this person. Ya know?"

Wollensak writes her own commentary on the page: "Letting Go with Love & Respect. Divorce doesn’t have to mean hate. It’s possible to let go of a marriage while still respecting—and even loving—the person you once chose. Loving your ex in a new way doesn’t mean you wish you were still together. It means you honor what you shared, appreciate what you learned, and release each other with kindness." She adds:

✅ You can respect them without agreeing with them.
✅ You can love them as a co-parent or as part of your past, even if you no longer love them as a partner.
✅ You can move forward with peace instead of resentment.

These words seem to truly resonate in the comment section. One says quite profoundly, "I'm not going to find someone better than you. I'm going to find someone better for me."

A few ask for Sexton's number—some because they need divorce advice and others because they think he's cute.

Another writes, "This is such a refreshing perspective on love and letting go."

This person went in a little deeper: "If you truly loved someone, you would want the best for them, especially if it’s not you. It’s hard to find your 'perfect' match, and anyone who is jealous, angry, or wants you to suffer after you break up never truly loved you—they thought they were entitled to you."

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Husband who lost his job reluctantly moves family in with mother-in-law. Pure joy ensued.

Families moving in together isn't failure. Sometimes it's their greatest success.

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Katie Bunton shares her family's journey with multigenerational living.

Multigenerational living is not as common in our independent, self-sufficient American culture–but Instagrammer Katie Bunton (@ktbunton) is hoping her experience will open more people's minds to it. Bunton, her husband Harry, and their twin boys recently moved in with their mother-in-law Louella Beale (@nana_lulu_love) after experiencing financial hardship, and opened up about the experience with her followers.

"We moved in with my MIL (mother-in-law) 2 months ago when my husband lost his job and I just keep thinking...it must have taken a lot of propaganda to make us believe this was failure," she writes in the video's caption.

In the inspiring video, Bunton showed her viewers some of the incredible benefits they've had with the extra support of Nana Lulu. From making and eating meals together to time spent in the garden and doing other menial daily tasks, she shows that life has truly improved–even though society may look at their living situation differently. "So you’re telling me, this isn’t how it was supposed to be all along ? #multigenerationalliving with @nana_lulu_love 🫶🏽," she captioned the video.

Viewers responded with great delight and support.

"I wholeheartedly believe that we’re supposed to be living with family❤️," one wrote.

Another added, "It’s the best. My grandmother and mother live with us. I could never asked for a better support system. I would never ever live without multiple generations in the same house or compound."

Another offered, "This has forever been my dream 😢 I’m with you, we’ve been lied to in the west. Intergenerational living is beautiful and to me the gold standard for living in harmony and raising children well ❤️."

Nana Lulu herself even commented, "🥹🥹😭😍😍 I’m such a lucky lucky so and so. 🙏🏽Thank you 🙏🏽 thank you 🙏🏽 thank you 🙏🏽 for the beautiful blessings of family love. 💛💛💛💛"

In another video, Bunton shared a vlog with her followers sharing more about living with her MIL and the benefits of living multi-generationally. "You’re telling me we could have both parents present and hands on, all we have to do is just lower our cost of living? spend less money? And pool our resources with family? 🤯" she wrote.

In the video, she explains that her family moved in with Nana Lulu at the end of January 2025. "It's taken us quite a while to get into the swing of things. We moved into a new town as well," she adds.

Their routine has completely changed, but in a good way. She has even noticed positive changes in her relationship. "My husband has felt happier, lighter and more himself than I have ever seen him," she says.

The second video also got tons of positive comments from viewers who are loving the new living situation.

"This is my definition of rich ❤️," one wrote.

Another offered, "As someone that doesn’t have a MIL to fall back on, I just want you to know that I’m so happy you have that. So happy you know the peace that extended family can bring and that you/your husband have the support you need to get to the next stage 🫶🏼💕."

And this commentor praised the situation while sharing about their own: "My husband and I live with my parents. They built us a basement apartment and I am forever grateful to them not only for that but for the bond it has allowed them to have with my kiddos ❤️ I definitely get caught up thinking we’ve done something wrong but we’ve just done what we can with the cards we are dealt. I am so grateful for my village."

This article originally appeared in March.

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