When it comes to using smartphones, many individuals use them for different reasons. While some people use their smartphones primarily for social media and communicating with other individuals, others use them only to keep track of important things, such as finances. Regardless, smartphones have become an essential aspect of our lives in one way or another.
Of all of the app categories on my smartphone, an iPhone 12 Pro Max, I found “social” to be the highest category on Saturday, September 24, and Monday, September 26. When it comes to social media, I tend to go on it a few times a day. Recently, the only social media sites I’ve been checking are Snapchat and Twitter. Snapchat is my favorite social media site since it’s an excellent way to communicate with pictures and videos. Also, using Snapchat makes it easier to text people to avoid always having to get their phone numbers. On Tuesday, September 20, I decided to take a break from Instagram and Facebook to focus on my mental health since it’s been all over the place lately. However, at the latest, I plan to use both platforms again sometime by Wednesday, October 5, the day before my birthday. After my birthday, I’ll wait a few days to see if I want to take another break from Instagram and Facebook or not.
On Thursday, September 22, “entertainment” was the highest category, with 57 minutes spent watching YouTube. I watched a total of nine videos. I first watched a video titled “Everything Added to Spider-Man: No Way Home The More Fun Stuff Version!” from a YouTube channel called “Sean Chandler Talks About.” Essentially, the video was Sean Chandler talking thoroughly about all the footage and scenes added to “Spider-Man: No Way Home.” The last video I watched was titled “Who has the best final swing? (Spider-Man)” from a YouTube channel called “Unlimitedguy1.” This video showed clips from all three live-action Spider-Man film franchises. The video’s description says the same thing as the title, leading to discussion in the comment section. When it comes to entertainment, YouTube is the platform I use the most since I can watch whatever content I want. Also, if I don’t want to watch a movie or TV show, I can just watch clips from them on YouTube. Regardless of my time on YouTube, I enjoy watching people express themselves by being creative and open-minded.
On Friday, September 23, “creativity” was my top category, with 29 minutes spent in the category. Within the “creativity” category, I use the photo app “Photos” most often. I edit pictures by cropping them and changing the color or tone per se, adding captions here and there. On a side note, I organize my photos into albums and folders so it can be easier for me to either look at pictures or show them to people. For example, I recently took a picture of my updated COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card. I added the photo to my “Fall 2022” album in my “CMU” folder. When editing the image, I cropped the sides, so only the card was shown and not the card lying on my desk. Also, I brightened the picture since the photo was originally too dark. The app is handy since it is already installed on my phone, and I don’t have to worry about downloading a separate app.
In conclusion, the categories of “entertainment,” “creativity,” and “social” are the main categories I use on my smartphone. Depending on my mood, I will spend more time using one app from each category than the other. Nevertheless, I always ensure I am not on my phone too much and know if I need to take a break from a particular platform.
