Lately, it has become a trend to take a break from social media. Many students and faculty on campus have caught on to this trend.

While Leann Henegar, biology senior, has not taken a long break from social media, she has taken break that consisted of a few days.

“Having every social media at my fingertips makes it very hard to put my phone down sometimes. It is almost a relief, though, to get away from that world and remember what is right in front of you,” Henegar said.

James Kauffman, professor of communications studies, said he is taking a break.

“I have taken a break from social media. I use to check it every day, but now I very rarely use it. It was a time sucker. It distracted me from more important activities,” James Kauffman, professor of communications studies, said.

There are many positive effects of taking a break from social media, according to the article “Why Everyone Should Unplug This Weekend.” A University of Michigan study found that participants who walked in the woods after learning something new were more likely to retain it.

This suggests that a little quiet time is essential to optimizing brain function. It can increase productivity, positively impact social relationships and lower overall stress, according to the article.

“Taking a break allows for more time to do other things. You also have more personal face-to-face time with others. This creates a richer type of communication with others,” Kauffman said.

There are negative effects of social media, according to the “Why Everyone Should Unplug This Weekend” article. The article also mentions that constantly checking social media sites sounds like it is fostering connectivity, but the opposite is often true.

Some students like Tiffany Bame, psychology senior, have not taken a break from social media.

“I have not taken a break from social media. I have considered it because it would be one less distraction that I have when I am trying to get school work done,” Bame said.

Bame said the only negatives from taking a break from social media would be not being able to keep up with old friends that you do not get to see much. She said this could result in missing out on major moments that occur in their lives.

“Sometimes it is just a fun release when you’ve had a stressful day or week,” Bame said.

Studies show spending tons of time online can actively harm relationships, interpersonal communication skills, and mental health, according to the “Why Everyone Should Unplug This Weekend” article.

“Social media can distract from other more important activities. There has also been a correlation with how many hours spent on Facebook with the grades students receive,” Kauffman said.

He said substituting face-to-face interaction can make relationships with others suffer. Negative impressions can be created by disclosing too much information.

Kauffman said he recommends no more than one hour a day. He said that if students are studying and taking care of themselves then social media use should not be a problem. If students are not studying and staying up late at night, then social media use should be very limited.