I specifically remember a time in high school when I was in class and finished my work early. I thought I was being so sly when I pulled out a binder, put my phone behind it, and acted like I was studying. Of course, it didn't take long for my teacher to ask what I was looking so intently at which resulted in me awkwardly looking away and him telling me to put my phone away. The point is, we all use our phones even we're not supposed to. We use them in every situation even when it's not appropriate. If it's not you checking Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook, it's someone else around you. So what's it like going on nine weeks not having cell phone service? What's there to learn?
Of all the things I thought I would learn while studying abroad, the effects of not having cell phone service/3G was something I never considered, but these eight things I have stumbled upon are worth noting.
1. Dinners with friends are more fun.
We all have heard of or seen this scenario: there's a group out in a restaurant not talking or making eye contact with anything other than their phone. It's gaining more and more media coverage by the day, and it's probably the most noticed effect of the "cell phone epidemic." Restaurants are even fighting this one, and you can count me on board too.
Not having cell phone service really proves just how huge this problem is. People claim they have "nothing to talk about" or "they just have to reply to this friend real quick." Yet, I left to go on a trip with nine people I didn't know, and short of one awkward jet-lagged mea and the time we had Wifi at a restaurant, there has been good conversation at meals from the first day when we didn't know each other at all to today when we've been with each other everyday for two months straight! In addition, none of my friendships at home have been effected negatively because they had to wait a few hours for me to get back to wifi until I replied.
2. You live your own life – not other people's.
Even being abroad in Europe, it is possible to feel like other people are living cooler lives solely because "that Insta pic is so artsy and cool." Not being able to constantly check up on everyone else's life really allows you to live your own. It allows you to look around and enjoy what's in front of you! Whether it's the people you're with or a painting on a wall you see while waiting for a friend to arrive, there's always something in your own life to appreciate.
3. You're not tied down to everyone you know.
You can reply to people when you have time. I'll admit, if I have Wifi, I'm bound to reply to my friends instantly. The same goes for when I had cell phone service. If my phone buzzed, I was going to reply to that person. Without cell phone service, you can go out and put your cell phone away without feeling like your abandoning or ignoring people who aren't even with you. You can enjoy the company of people right in front of you!
4. There's more adventure!!
Life without 3G is an adventure. Let's be real. People nowadays "get lost," but are able to tweet about it instantly while simultaneously looking up directions using iMaps. If you get lost without cell phone service, it's scary but thrilling. You kind of just have to wander around and hope for the best! Also, chances are, you'll find your way back and have a cool story to go with it! Hey, you might even find a new pizza place you didn't know existed before!
5. You gain independence.
Cell phones have kind of become a clutch. From looking up maps like in the scenario above to texting your friend asking how you should respond to a certain situation, we forget to make our own decision. Without having cell phone service, I was forced to learn how to respond to uncomfortable and unplanned situation by myself. Don't get me wrong, asking for advice can be a blessing, but only after you've tried to learn for yourself what can be done! Also, this gives you more of a chance to learn from your own mistakes!
6. There's time for self-evaluation and contemplation.
In our fast paced lived, it's sometimes hard to find time to contemplate how our life is going or to find our own strengths and weaknesses. I mean, let's face it, it's hard to keep up with your own life when you're too busy trying to keep up with everyone including that person you talked to once seven years ago and still follow on social media. However, when you're traveling in public or sitting on a bench in a park without cell phone service, there's not much to do besides think about life. You might be surprised at how much you can learn about yourself just by not being connected to everything around the world via your phone.
7. You learn the importance of responsibility and commitment.
Without cell phone service, you can't change plans at last minute. Once you say you'll meet somewhere at a certain time or you'll be back at a certain time, you don't have much of an option. It's not like you can just text them five minutes before when you're supposed to be somewhere and cancel or say you're running late. Once you commit to a plan, there's virtually no backing out. You have to watch the time and be responsible enough to not only show up but show up on time--that is unless you want your friend to think you bailed or something bad happened to you.
8. You have to actually learn and remember information.
This may seem like a dumb point, but trust me, it's true. You know all those things that you just rely on your super smart friend, google, to know? That friend's not here anymore. If you get in a debate about whether "that yellow flower" is a dandelion or a sunflower, you're on your own. Good luck. This is also applicable for figuring out words in a different language on a menu, wondering what your friend's favorite color is when buying her a gift, and remembering ingredients for a recipe (that you didn't think to screenshot).
So here's my challenge: put your phone away when you're away from home, and see what you learn.
