Indulge in the good by Morgan Vickers

Morgan Vickers writes stuff and does things. She also spends most of her time on Twitter and can recite almost every meme and vine by heart.

I’ve been spending a lot of time off the Internet. Or, rather, I’ve been spending a lot of time doing non-substantive things on the Internet lately (i.e. saving memes to my 300+ item “MEME” photo album on my phone, watching videos from the Fifth Harmony 7/27 tour, and reading A LOT of conspiracy theories).

I love the Internet. I love social media. And, most of all, I love pop culture. But lately it has felt all too instantaneous and intrusive, and this summer I found myself purging myself of all of my connections to the online world in with the idea of “If I don’t see it, it can’t bother me” in mind.

Obviously, that’s not true.

I just finished ‘A Raisin in the Sun,’ and in it Beneatha (inadvertently) describes what it’s like to wake up to a timeline or newsfeed after a night of rest: “While I was sleeping in my bed there, things were happening this world that directly concerned me — and nobody asked me, consulted me — they just went out and did things — and changed my life.”

The Internet is a magical, wonderful, all-consuming type of place. And I — an Internet fiend — would never encourage anyone to leave its wonderful and wonderfully fruitful realm.

But in times where the 24 hour (online) news cycle never quits, and where harassment of individuals and public figures is omnipresent, and even pop culture won’t let you have a break from politics, be sure to practice self-care online. Be kind to yourself and your peers. Look at something that makes you laugh every day. Read all of the good things the Web has to offer.

The Internet is an ever-expanding chasm of all of the things everyone has ever thought, felt, hoped, wished, or dreamed. Take time to indulge in the good.

This is a part of the Kelsaywhat Weekly newsletter guest writer series. Find out more about that here.