It's no secret that we are the generation of cell phone addiction. They're here to stay, for better or worse. A cell phone is essential to a thriving social life and to being generally aware of what is going on in the world. When we are forced to go without, it can be truly terrifying.

Last week, my roommate suffered such a disaster, and she was kind enough to share how she felt during this traumatic experience. Taylor, a dedicated student, was innocently walking to class in the rain. Like any wise cell phone owner, she was sure to keep her iPhone 5c tucked safely into the pocket of her anorak, protecting it from the downpour. However, during her trek, she came a bit too close to the edge of the sidewalk, and was tragically splashed by a CityBus speeding down the road. Taylor was drenched, and with a sinking feeling in her stomach, she pulled her phone out of her pocket, watching as water poured from its crevices. Needless to say, her beloved phone was ruined. She survived over 24 hours (a true miracle) without one before she could obtain a backup iPhone 4, which is practically an ancient artifact.

Losing access to a working cell phone comes with many obstacles. First of all, we run into issues with everyday functioning. For example, Taylor and I struggled to find a traditional alarm clock for her to use in the morning. This is not something you purchase anymore when your trusty cell phone usually does the trick. Also, when outdoors, you have no way of knowing what time it is. Are you late to class? Is it rush hour at Starbucks? Do you have time to stop at McDonald's? You're in the dark when it comes to these important issues.

Losing your cell phone is also detrimental to one's ability to socialize. Especially now that landlines are practically extinct, it is extremely difficult to contact other people without one. We are so used to making plans through a simple text message or with apps like GroupMe. Without a cell phone, it is nearly impossible to stay in the loop. Instead of texting my roommate from the comfort of my own bed, I actually had to get up and walk to her adjacent bedroom.

And how are you supposed to keep yourself busy while you put off doing anything remotely productive? Not having a long list of social media apps to check every five minutes can force you to do something you should actually be doing. Plus, you are left totally disconnected from everyone you usually stalk on Instagram. I can't think of anything worse than that.

In all seriousness, we know that this separation anxiety we feel when we lose or break our phones is pathetic. But we all fall under the spell, nonetheless. I find myself missing my phone even when I accidentally leave it on the table across the room. This clearly isn't healthy. Although it would be unrealistic to hope for a future without such a dependence on cell phones, we can all try a little harder to maybe set it down once in a while and enjoy what is actually going on around us.