Gathering before social and after social.

​"I often think about 'Before Social' versus 'After Social' gatherings.

​Before social media, going for coffee meant truly hanging out. We would talk for hours, sharing our deepest thoughts and concerns. We laughed until it hurt, and even when we argued, we went home feeling full, not empty.

​Now, 'After Social' coffee dates feel hollow. Everyone is focused on scrolling, posting, and staging the perfect photo. Taking a picture isn't just a second anymore; it has to look professional, leading to a cycle of 'delete and retake' until the night is over. Even the conversation revolves around gossip—what someone else posted or how they look. If you try to change the subject to something like travel, the phones come right back out to Google the destination. You end up sitting in silence, waiting for a page to load, wishing for a better connection to the internet when what you really want is a better connection to the people across from you."