I have mixed feelings about social media. More and more, it seems like an incredible time suck, filled with never-ending streams of inane cat videos and unasked for political opinions. Still, I'm as susceptible as anyone and often find myself mindlessly staring and swiping, liking and commenting, until I have a sudden moment of realization, drop my phone and slowly back away.

Every time I do make a conscious decision to unplug, whether for an hour or an entire weekend, it makes me wonder why I don't make it a permanent thing. A little break from hateful commenters and catastrophic news and suddenly, the world doesn't seem like such a terrible place. Then, inevitably, a work email comes through, I pick up my phone and sink back in.

But for all the negatives, there are still plenty of benefits. Through social media, I've stayed in touch with old friends, met wonderful people around the world who I would have otherwise never known, and been introduced to books and films that have had a profound effect on me.