POV: It’s 1:00 A.M.
You’ve been trying to sleep since midnight, but you just can’t, so you turn to your phone for comfort. It feels like you’re in an alternate dimension in which time does not exist. You shamefully catch a glimpse of the top left corner of your screen to see that now it’s 5 hours later — 4:12 A.M. — the numbers feel like an insult. You’re doused in sweat, your mind is numb, and you can’t recall the last 10 Instagram reels you watched.
Doomscrolling is eating you alive. You can’t keep doing this.
As much as you like to act like nothing like this has ever happened to you, we live in an age where digital clutter is ingrained in our daily lives. Although chasing momentary dopamine bursts through short form content, cruising fast fashion sites in class, rushing to get a photo of every memorable moment with friends for your weekly spam post, or basing your identity around an internet micro-identity (e.g. coastal cowgirl, pilates princess, manic pixie dream girl), seem like fun for now, these destructive habits all have real world consequences and are making your life less enjoyable in the long run.
🌈 But let’s not wallow! 🌀
There are plenty of ways to break this cycle that will help strengthen your sense of self, deepen your connections with others, get you out into nature, and benefit you academically. Ever wondered how Michelangelo painted the Sistine Chapel for days on end and four years straight? Yeah, he probably didn’t spend most of his free time on TikTok.
It will take a little bit of change and maybe some withdrawals, but if you follow some of the steps we’ve compiled for you, your brain will literally un-rot.
❕ Alternatives to Doomscrolling ❕
📓 LET’S START OFF EASY: JUNK JOURNALING 🎨
Instead of losing hours to the black hole of doomscrolling, imagine reaching for a notebook and a glue stick at 1:00 A.M. Junk journaling transforms those restless nights into creative ones.
You’re no longer a passive consumer of endless digital clutter, but an active creator shaping scraps of your own world into something meaningful. Best part is, by using what you already have, it can cost nothing!
Unlike social media, which leaves you numb and forgetful, journaling lets you slow down, process your day, and actually hold your memories in your hands. It’s recycling, it’s art, it’s self-care, and it doesn’t require you to be Michelangelo to feel proud of what you’ve made.
By filling a page with scraps of packaging, dried flowers, ticket stubs, or even your half-formed 2:00 A.M. thoughts, you’re giving yourself a tangible keepsake and a healthier outlet for your mind.
Junk journaling isn’t just one alternative to doomscrolling — it’s a way to un-rot your brain while creating something sustainably beautiful that’s yours to keep.
♻️ PracticING Anti-consumerism 🌎
Anti-consumerism is at the heart of digital minimalism, and it starts with breaking free from the endless cycle of influence that social media thrives on. Every ad, every “must-have” microtrend, every targeted subscription service is designed to convince you that you’re lacking something when in reality, you’re really not.
This requires a big mindset change.
By resisting these constant nudges to buy, upgrade, and subscribe, you’re not only protecting your wallet (because, let’s be honest, we’re all broke college students in this economy), but also your data, your attention, and even the environment.
Opting for physical media instead of streaming subscriptions, or replacing apps that fuel doomscrolling with analog alternatives like sketching, reading, or journaling can create meaningful change.
Choosing not to be influenced isn’t about depriving yourself: it’s about reclaiming your time, money, and headspace from industries that profit off your distraction. No one is perfect, and unfortunately we cannot all be perfectly anti-consumerist, but we can do our best together!
Here are some first steps you can take to start living a more sustainable and less consumerist life:
‣ Thrifting: Replace online shopping with thrifting! Especially fun with a good playlist or some good company.
‣ Reusables: Consider more sustainable shopping practices.
- Reusable, washable baggies
- Reusable shopping bags
- Reusable cling wrap (e.g. beeswax)
- Reusable water bottles
- Glass tupperware (shoutout microplastics)
- Reusable coffee pods & mugs
There is nothing more gratifying than having the same, reliable water bottle or the same reliable pair of shoes, for multiple years. The nostalgia of wearing through the sole of your shoes or adding to your water bottle’s collection of stickers is unbeatable. In small ways like these, you can save the environment, your wallet, and your mind.
‣ Some bonus sustainable techniques:
- Toothpaste tablets with refillable bottle (e.g. Bite toothpaste bits)
- Reusable pads/menstrual products (e.g. menstrual discs, Diva cups, menstrual underwear)
- Refillable beauty products
- Use LED lights (lower your light bill AND your carbon footprint!)
‣ Nibble: An app that gives history lessons in a reels format. Breaking out of the consumerist cycle requires creating space from their primary hosts. Deleting Instagram, Tiktok, Facebook, or X, and replacing them with similarly formatted substitutes that utilize the short-form content model for good can help ease the transition between the doomscrolling life to the brain-fueling life.
‣ Screenzen: An app that limits your screentime. If you’re not into fully gutting your scrolling feeds, you can always resort to a more low-key detox. Screenzen and other similar apps allow you to set yourself limits on certain apps. When your daily time limit is up, Screenzen locks you out of whichever apps you’re trying to detox from.
‣ VPNs: Block out targeted advertisements & protect your identity. VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) hide your IP address from companies prowling the internet. When these companies don’t have access to your preferences and clicks, it reduces targeted advertisements, therefore reducing your inclination to online shop (Tomascheck, 2024). You won’t know that you NEED an Owala water bottle if you don’t know that Owalas exist.
🎧 ESCAPE FROM MUSIC STREAMING SERVICES 🎵
Streaming services are another outlet for advertisements and consumerism. Not only that, but they tend to unfairly compensate the artists they borrow music from. Spotify artists are paid an average of $0.003 per stream (Mucenieks, 2025), meanwhile Spotify’s net value is around $136.73 billion.
Feeding into the machine of greedy streaming services fuels their unjust practices, but using physical methods like iPods, cassette players, or Walkmans (you can totally find these second-hand), halts their cycle full-stop.
Benefits to using iPods, cassettes, Walkmans, record players, etc.:
- Keeps your data safe, avoiding more personalized ads in the future
- Eliminates advertisements
- Purchase your fav songs & it’s yours to keep
- Pay & support your favorite artists more directly
- You’ll look really cool, too
You might say: “Yeah, iPods and record players and stuff are cool, but just not sustainable for busy college lives…”
Let me tell you — I recently switched to using an iPod that I literally got off Facebook Marketplace for just as much as I’d pay for only 1 month of a streaming service, after years of being tired of and refusing to pay for music streaming services… and I have never felt so FREE!
Still too daunting? Support your local live musicians and artists at shows, support small collectives on YouTube of DJs, producers, curators, etc. Or, better yet — start your own!
📚 WE ALL SAW IT COMING… Yup, Reading. 📖
Yeah, I get it, you probably have to read so much already for your classes, so this one might feel like a skip-until-summer suggestion. But hear me out: Books don’t have to be boring. There are genres for everyone – romance, fantasy, horror, poetry, graphic novels, memoirs – you name it.
As someone who has a VERY hard time focusing on reading (and trust me, I literally work at a library), I’ve still found books I cannot put down. The difference between reading and scrolling is that reading actually fills your mind, rather than draining it. Instead of bouncing from one short dopamine hit to another, you’re giving your brain space to slow down, imagine, and think deeply.
Reading keeps you off the reels and helps build a healthier routine. It protects your attention span from shrinking and offers real, lasting benefits:
- Boosts your attention span and patience
- Improves your vocabulary and comprehension
- Enhances writing skills through indirect learning
- Immerses you in new worlds — a healthy kind of escapism
- Creates social opportunities (e.g. book clubs, library hangs, Goodreads, forums)
- Sparks creativity and imagination
- Helps you sleep better — no blue light messing with your circadian rhythm
So next time you find yourself scrolling aimlessly, maybe swap the phone for a good book. Your brain, and your bedtime, will thank you.
‣ Start with these hard-to-put-down books from our Popular Literature (“Pop Lit”) Collection, available at FSU Libraries HERE: Pop Lit Collection
🎥 SOLVING THE MOVIE STREAMING PROBLEM 📀
Watching movies can open your world, expand your mind, and inspire you in ways you might not expect. And no, watching movie clips on TikTok doesn’t count (and it’s definitely not helping your attention span). Film is education through storytelling. It connects you to different cultures, perspectives, and ideas, helping you understand people and experiences beyond your own. Especially in times like these, staying curious and empathetic matters more than ever.
But here’s the thing: Netflix and other streaming services can get pricey, can remove your favorites at any point in time, and also track your viewing habits for targeted ads. So, why not switch things up?
Instead of paying anything for streaming, find movies and TV series available for check out through FSU Libraries! For example, head down to the Strozier Library basement to browse our physical collection. We even have DVD and Blu-Ray players, a portable projector, and a projector screen available to check out with your FSU ID! Have a DIY movie night marathon from the comfort of your own dorm.
‣ See the physical collection of films, TV series, & more available for check out at FSU Libraries HERE: Feature Films & More
‣ Check out our DVD & Blu-Ray players, projectors, & more HERE: FSU Libraries Equipment Search
These items mentioned above are available at the desk on a first-come, first-served basis. Only books can be requested in advance.
You can even support local Tallahassee spots like Cap City Video Lounge in Railroad Square. Yes, DVD stores still exist, and they’re awesome. Aside from the wicked decor and memorabilia, this special spot even has a theater inside, with low-cost screenings & special events! You can even rent out this theater for your next celebration.
When you borrow from libraries or buy from local shops, you’re doing more than just saving money, you’re investing in your community. Every check out and every rental helps keep library collections alive and local businesses thriving. You check out a movie today, FSU Libraries gets more support tomorrow, and future students get to discover the same magic you did. It all comes full circle.
🎞️ TAKE BETTER PHOTOS. SERIOUSLY. 📸
There’s something special about taking photos with a real camera, film or digital. You get to capture genuine moments without worrying about iCloud limits, phone storage warnings, or spooky data leaks. Digital and film photos also carry a certain energy with them that cellphone cameras can’t replicate. The warm, glowy texture of a digital camera photo or the gritty, natural texture of a film camera are unmatched.
Plus, your friends might think you’re effortlessly cool… No, not “think…” They will know you’re effortlessly cool. Not that that’s the reason, of course.
If you’re looking for a camera to keep with you for a few days that costs nothing, FSU Libraries actually has professional Canon cameras available for check out for up to 3 days! These are perfect for creative projects, spontaneous photoshoots, or just exploring photography for fun.
‣ See our cameras, tripods, & more available for check out HERE: FSU Libraries Equipment Search
These items mentioned above are available at the desk on a first-come, first-served basis. Only books can be requested in advance.
You can easily transfer your photos to your computer using an SD card or other methods. You could even try finding your own secondhand camera on Facebook Marketplace, Mercari, eBay, or even your local thrift or camera shop.
🧩 Gaming FOR EVERYONE! NOT JUST NERDS LIKE ME. 🎮
Okay, I admit, I love playing video games. But there’s something about board games or card games with friends that just hits different. The face-to-face interaction, the funny heated debates, the laughter, and the friendly competition all make a physical game night feel more alive than a night in front of your PS5.
Plus, there are games that are super easy to find second-hand (and way cheaper than a new console). Whether you’re reconnecting with old friends or meeting new ones, board games are the perfect “unplugged” hangout that’s still centered around an activity.
If you’re cringing at the idea of an old-fashioned game night, believe me — try classics like Catan, Ticket to Ride, Parcheesi, or even poker — just use candy or classic chips and play for fun! For a nostalgia trip, dust off Candy Land, Operation, or Monopoly for a good laugh and maybe a little chaos.
Still craving a digital experience? Fine… FSU Libraries DOES have an XBOX gaming console available for check out at the Strozier Library Tech Desk! Not only that, we also have karaoke machines, JBL speakers, and more to support your leisure!
‣ See the XBOX console, karaoke machines, and more entertainment HERE: FSU Libraries Equipment Search
These items mentioned above are available at the desk on a first-come, first-served basis. Only books can be requested in advance.
But… What about touching grass?
☀️ Bring it all outside! 🌱
Giving yourself a certain amount of time outside each day can drastically improve your quality of life! Exposing yourself to sunshine stimulates the release of dopamine and serotonin, neurotransmitters that, when balanced, lead to a fulfilled and satisfied feeling. Spending time outdoors can also help alleviate symptoms of ADHD or burnout: Children who spend time in natural outdoor environments experience a reduction in attention fatigue, and children diagnosed with ADHD show a decrease in related symptoms (Kuo, 2011).
So when we say touch grass, we’re not joking!
If you want to get in touch with nature on campus, Strozier Library’s Leisure Library is a great way to start! We have hammocks, fun inflatable lawn chairs, and even frisbees for all to enjoy on Landis. Make it a picnic, even!
Ask about our Leisure Library items at the desk, which include hammocks, frisbees, and inflatable loungers! These items are available at the desk on a first-come, first-served basis. Only books can be requested in advance.
My friends and I during our freshman year would have weekly “Landis Lounging Sessions” where every Saturday, we plopped down on Landis, threw around a ball, read, lounged around, and talked for a few hours. This was the best thing for my mental health and kept me connected with my friends no matter how withdrawn I was feeling. We have a beautiful campus, so soak it all in!
Other accessible/nearby nature spots:
- The Rez: FSU’s lakefront has kayaking, a ropes course, food trucks, and a beach! If you have no way to get there, there is a bus line that goes directly from campus to the lakefront!
- Lake Ella: A beautiful lake setting not too far from campus surrounded by historical museums, small shops, and hiking trails. You can take a bike or stroll around the lake, set up a picnic, or browse through the history of Tallahassee there.
- J.R. Alford Greenway Trail: This gorgeous gem is only about 20 minutes from FSU campus, and has over 17 miles of multi-use trails for all hiking, biking, dog-walking, and horseback riding levels. There are also “fishing finger” boardwalks on Piney Z Lake available for more than just an extra adventure — you guessed it — fishing! Every mile is teeming with wildlife, especially native birds, fungi, and plant life!
- Wakulla Springs: A 30 minute drive from campus and a historical landmark for all of Florida, Wakulla Springs is the birth site of “The Creature of the Black Lagoon”. We are lucky to be near such a cultural wonder and natural delight. Here, you can choose whether or not you want to float around in the clear spring water, snorkel, take a spring tour, or go on a long hike.
- Cascades Park: Cascades Park is a beautiful area to lay out and watch the sunset. The park has lots of greenspace for lazing about, a few historical sculptures if you want to learn about some local history, and a fancy little restaurant made from an old factory building. The park also sometimes hosts free yoga lessons and other fun events!
🤞 IT WORKS. WE PROMISE. 🌈
The digital minimalism lifestyle can seriously reduce certain stressors in your life, so make sure you incorporate at least 2 or 3 of the techniques listed above. Personally, I’ve been visiting Wakulla Springs on Sundays, using a digital camera (“digicam”), and junk journaling. Take it from the digital minimalism connoisseur — you’re going to want to try this!
And, one more thing — don’t forget to check out FSU Libraries’ Pop Lit Collection, film collection, tech equipment, leisure library, and more!
Written by Claire King, Student Engagement Assistant, & Amber-Lynne Jensen, Student Engagement Associate.
References
Immerse yourself in a forest for Better Health. Department of Environmental Conservation. (n.d.). https://dec.ny.gov/nature/forests-trees/immerse-yourself-for-better-health
Mucenieks , A. (2025, May 26). How much do artists make on Spotify (2025). Printify. https://printify.com/blog/how-do-artists-make-money-on-spotify/
Tomaschek, A., & Long, M. (2024, November 22). Everything you need to know about vpns and how they work. CNET- Your Guide to a Better Future. https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/what-is-a-vpn/
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