media fast

Earlier this semester, I asked you to track of your media intake and reflect on what media means to your life. With few exceptions, students reported that media plays an important role. Some students even expressed a desire to cut back on media consumption. Our next assignment asks you to break that addiction cold turkey. I want you to attempt to go through an entire 24-hour period without willfully consuming media. In other words, I’m asking you to go on a media fast.

I realize that it may not be possible to cut yourself off from media completely for 24 hours. I am not asking you to flake out on class work, so this isn't a valid excuse to skip reading assignments for other classes. I am, however, asking you to make a realistic effort to live media-free for a day. So, pick a day that you think this is feasible and do the best you can. 

After you have completed your Media Fast, I want you to write a 300-400 reflection on the experience. Tell me what it was like to go without media. How did it change your life? Was it unbearable? Was it refreshing? Was relaxing with something other than a book or Netflix a foreign experience? Did you feel out of the loop? Do you want to live your life differently after this experience or is it back to media as usual?