Dear Cafecito,
I just finished thinking about a few things regarding social media platforms while sipping on some delicious homemade cafecito, Spanish for coffee. I feel I have been giving social media platforms the best version of me without getting anything in return. In a few weeks from now, I will be 40 years old. Looking back, I was remembering the time when I first built my first website when I was 15, lol. If you are around my age, you probably still remember Geocities. That’s where I built my first website. Time flies. I spent my 20s and 30s on social media platforms and didn’t get much in return. I actually got more in return from having a website, to be honest.
Based on my experiences, I can tell you that opportunities do exist outside of social media platforms. I also think it is awesome for those of you who have gotten brand deals and amazing opportunities thanks to social media. However, that hasn’t been my case, but I am actually okay with it. I really am.
I recently deleted my two TikTok accounts with over 10k followers. I joined the TikTok world because I felt like I was missing out and wanted to find out why this platform was so popular. I get it. I really do. I fell in love with it because it was a place of authenticity and a lot of people became famous creators overnight. Just recently I decided to delete my accounts because I was spending too much of my time and energy creating content and getting nothing in return.
I run a small business where I sell my designs in the form of stickers, keychains, magnets, and tote bags, so I decided to create an account for my art to be seen. The other account became my own personal blog where I showcased my interests and behind-the-scenes content. I do regret not growing my YouTube account instead, but it’s okay. I learned a lot of lessons along the way.
I deleted both of my TikTok accounts when people were promoting this purple ticket incentive. On my ForYouPage, I must have counted 7 videos of people promoting the incentive in less than 30 seconds. This is when I decided I needed to remove myself from this social media platform. Also, most of the social media connections felt forced with the exception of a few awesome, inspiring women.
“Creating content” for me started to feel like a chore. Also, whenever I would scroll on the app for a few minutes, it felt like every time I scrolled, someone was trying to sell me something. Ever since learning about the possible TikTok ban, I began to think about how easily it can be to lose everything you put a lot of time and energy into. Although this app is not for me, I really do feel sad that it could be banned because a lot of people depend on it financially.
This made me think about the MySpace days actually. I remember putting a lot of time and energy into perfecting my profile page in my late teens/early 20s. I thought it would last forever, and then one day, it just became obsolete. I actually do not remember getting anything in return. I just remember getting asked by my “friends” about the order of my top 8 friends. Do you all remember that? LOL.
FB replaced MySpace, and it became another social media platform account for me to manage along with IG a few years later. FB is now a place where I catch the local and national news. IG is still fun. I still love everything about it. Just lately, I feel I need to break up with my personal social media platforms and not be too available. Also, the same type of material just keeps getting recycled. I think I’m just becoming bored of seeing the same type of content over and over again. I personally believe I might have messed up the algorithm since 2011, but I don’t have the energy to start a new IG account. I rather play and pass Super Mario Bros. 2 over and over again than try to figure out how the algorithm works. I will never be able to figure it out, and it’s okay. I really want to put my time and energy into something different now that I’m turning 40.
For me, social media platforms have become a place where people you don’t really talk to watch your stories but won’t engage with your content, especially if it is related to the arts. Social media platforms have become a place where people who follow you do not engage in regular conversations with you or ask how you are doing. Makes you wonder why you’re even posting in the first place if it is going to get ignored. I could be working on developing my craft or on fixing my own personal website where I can showcase my best work, accomplishments, art, and experiences.
So, in 2025, I’m going to spend less time on social media platforms and focus more on leveling up my skills and working on my projects.
Ultimately, I plan to stop scrolling endlessly on social media platforms for hours and hours.
Thank you for stopping by and reading about my experiences.
Sincerely,
Clari♡ from The Cafecito Diaries ☕️📝 | 💌 hello@claribotello.com
Disclaimer: This post is provided for educational and informational purposes only. This post does not constitute providing medical advice or professional services.