On Friday, my phone disappeared while I was getting my car fixed. I don't know whether it was stolen or I misplaced it, but I looked everywhere. I now have a replacement, but the day I went without a phone taught me about how much we rely on our phones, and how much of an impact technology has on us on a daily basis.
1. It is kind of nice to unplug and connect with the people around us.
It is so easy to remove yourself from where you actually are and tap into the filtered lives of others through Snapchat, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. To not have my phone on me allowed me to focus on the other people around me and recognize the beauty in our world without all of the filters constantly on.
2. I am extremely reliant upon my phone
Not only am I reliant on my phone for texting and phone calls, but maybe even more so for emails. As a college student applying for summer jobs, I check my email like crazy as well as for updates in all my classes. I felt my hand go to my pocket, where my phone should've been located countless times. I also use my phone as a GPS often and not being able to find directions on there was daunting when deciding where to go to dinner that night.
3. I want to be more self-sufficient.
While the internet has so many amazing ways to find new information, I want to figure out things different ways. I want to read more books and try to figure things out on my own without going to Google as the first impulse.
4. I want to lessen my phone usage.
I kept feeling resentful when I saw my peers on their phones because I wanted to be able to go on Twitter or see the latest pictures on Instagram. This is stupid. I want to be able to be content in any situation without my first impulse being to check my phone or see what is going on. It is a goal for this 2016 to be able to be more present everywhere I am.
5. We are so lucky to be able to have phones.
The fact that we can take pictures, play music, have direction and be able to connect with others all on the same device is amazing. Yes, there are some downsides to cellular devices but the accessibility, convenience, and communication that we achieve by these small items is phenomenal. I'm grateful they exist.
