In How tech and social media are making us feel lonelier than ever, Katz explains how the use of technology and social media pushes our society to feel lonelier than before. She discusses how people are forgoing their in-person relationships and trading them in for online relationships. Social media allows people to put their best foot forward and show how “perfect” their life is when that might not be the truth.

I think the pandemic enabled us to feel lonelier and impact our mental health in negative way. Our society became so attached to their devices and were left to socialize over screens because of the social distancing protocols and lockdown. There became an expectation to keep up on social media whether it was checking texts or Instagram direct messages. However, our in-person relationships and social skills were negatively impacted as a result.

After the pandemic I’ve realized I need to re-charge my social battery which is something I never thought I’d have to do. However, the expectation of staying connected 24/7 while taking classes online really took a toll on how much social interaction I can handle in a day. This is an unsettling experience for me since I love hanging out with my friends and being social but now it seems like a chore sometimes.