The increased use of technology has created a dysfunctional human interaction. Talking and creating real human relationships takes effort. Communicative technology has created an illusion that little effort is needed to maintain strong relationships. One enabler of this social dysfunction is the popular application Snapchat.

I became a user of this app in eighth grade and continued to use the app until the summer following my junior year. I do not know exactly when I became completely consumed by the app, but I obviously became addicted. Snapchat was the first thing I checked on my phone in the morning and the last thing I looked at before going to bed.

During the stress of junior year finals, I decided to logout of the app as it was a distraction from my studying. My mom pointed out the changes in my mood as I seemed much more engaged and happier.

The first week of summer I deleted the app. I originally thought that deleting the app would leave me out of the loop of activities and my Snapchat relationships, or “friends”. Then I realized I was not truly talking to people through the app. Was sending a picture of my shoes or my food really a valid form of communication that helped foster relationships? Was maintaining my streaks really making me a better friend?

Instead of wasting my time taking often pathetic photos to keep my streaks alive, I decided to push myself back out into the real world and become a real life person who focused on cherishing moments with friends and family in person – conversations and get together that forced real-life interactions. Hugging a friend, dealing with a struggle, laughing until I cried, seeing emotions in people’s faces and sharing stories about vacations, future plans, fears and goals.

We live in a society where sharing a compliment or sympathy has turned into commenting on a posted picture or a phone call has turned into a Snapchat. Next time you want to really connect to your friend, pick up the phone and tell someone how much they mean to you instead of snapping a picture of your shoe.