Describe some technology (e.g. an app, phone, software program) that you decided to stop using

To be perfectly honest, I’ve always been a bit of a tech enthusiast, always eager to try the latest "must-have" apps that promise to revolutionize my life. However, about six months ago, I made the conscious and rather difficult decision to completely delete TikTok from my phone. It’s an incredibly popular short-form video platform, as I’m sure you know, but for me, it had become a bit of a digital parasite. I initially jumped on the bandwagon during the lockdown when I was feeling quite isolated and bored out of my mind. At first, it seemed like harmless fun—a quick way to see some funny sketches, cooking hacks, or travel tips. The algorithm is notoriously brilliant at serving up exactly what you're interested in, so I found myself sucked into these "rabbit holes" of content for hours on end. The turning point came when I realized I was scrolling mindlessly until 2 AM on a school night, feeling completely drained and yet unable to stop. It was severely affecting my attention span and my ability to focus on long-form tasks, like reading a book or finishing my assignments. I felt like my brain was being rewired for these tiny, ten-second hits of dopamine, and it was honestly becoming quite alarming. I’d pick up my phone for "just five minutes" and suddenly forty-five minutes had vanished into thin air. Since I’ve cut it out of my life, the change has been absolutely monumental. I feel like I’ve regained a massive chunk of my day and, more importantly, my mental clarity. I’ve gone back to reading actual physical books before bed, and my sleep quality has improved leaps and bounds. While I sometimes feel a tiny bit out of the loop when my friends talk about the latest viral trends, the trade-off for my own productivity and sanity has been 100% worth it. It’s been a massive lesson in digital boundaries for me.