Zahra sat in her room, staring at her phone. The glow of the screen seemed to mock her as she scrolled through endless photos of friends smiling, traveling, and living perfect lives. It felt like everyone around her had everything together, while she was feeling inadequate in her thoughts.
She tapped on a new post from her best friend, Aana, who was at a concert with a huge group. The image was filled with happy faces, laughter, and excitement. Zahra couldn’t help but compare herself to them. She didn’t look like that, didn’t have a life like that. Her hair wasn’t smooth enough, her skin wasn’t clear enough, and her life was far from the adventure-filled ones everyone else seemed to be living. Her phone buzzed with a message from Aana: “You okay? You’ve been a little off lately.”
Zahra hesitated, staring at the message for a long time before typing back, “Yeah, all good!” and hitting send. But the truth was, she didn’t feel good. She felt lost in a world of comparisons.
At school, it was no better. Everyone was glued to their phones, talking about the latest trends and viral moments. Zahra tried to join in, but the conversations always made her feel like an outsider. Her mind wandered back to her phone as she checked it once more, hoping for some sort of validation—more likes, more followers, something to make her feel like she mattered.
That evening, Zahra’s mom knocked on her door. “Dinner’s ready.”
“Not hungry,” Zahra muttered, her voice barely above a whisper. Her mom entered anyway, sitting down beside her. “You’ve been quiet lately. I just want you to know you’re not alone.” Zahra looked up, her eyes filled with unshed tears. “Everyone seems to have their life together, Mom. I’m just… not enough.” Her mom smiled gently. “You’re not defined by others’ lives online. The world isn’t as perfect as it looks through a screen. It’s messy. And that’s okay.”
Zahra didn’t respond right away, but her mom’s words stayed with her. The next day at school, she saw Aana sitting alone, scrolling through her phone, her face clouded with frustration. Zahra walked over and sat beside her.
“Hey,” she said softly.
Aana looked up, a little surprised. “Hey.”
Zahra paused. “I’ve been thinking… what if we took a break from social media? Just for a while.”
Aana blinked, clearly taken aback. “You think so?” “Yeah,” Zahra said, feeling a weight lift. “Maybe it’s time we focus on real life for once.”
Aana smiled a sense of relief in her eyes. “Yeah, I think you’re right.”
In the following days, Zahra and Aana stayed off their phones more. It wasn’t easy at first, but Zahra started to feel a sense of freedom. The comparisons slowed, the pressure lessened, and for the first time in a long while, Zahra began to feel like herself again.
She didn’t need to compete with anyone. She was enough, just as she was.