Every morning, I wake up half an hour earlier than I need to so I can watch television in bed. My eyes are heavy, but the sound and light from the screen help force them open. Then, as I get ready, I play music to help me stay on track until it is time to leave my apartment for the day. That is my “me” time.
At night, I have a similar routine. After getting ready for bed, I get under the warm covers and flip the switch on the remote to watch a mindless show that distracts my mind for a little before I fall asleep. That is also my “me” time.
When I am out in the world, however, surrounded by cars honking, people talking and the leaves rustling, I like to tune into the environment around me, rather than drown it out. I have my alone time at home, but when I have the chance to be out and about, I like to be fully present. And that is why I cannot understand why so many people wear earbuds wherever they go.
During my time in college, I have noticed the prominence of earbuds, especially those iconic white Apple ones, skyrocket. It seems as though four out of every five people walking alone are plugged into their music. And I totally get it if it’s an every-so-often type of thing. You might be working out, need to decompress or just want some alone time (even if you are out on the streets), but that can’t be all the time, can it?
Honestly, this is a judge-free zone. I’m not hating on earbud fanatics, but rather, am just really trying to understand the craze (trust me, I have tried it, and still can’t figure it out). To stay sane, I know I definitely need to get out of my head for a while, and I cannot imagine that I am the only one who feels that way. Therefore, when I am outside, I take advantage of the sights and sounds around me. Even if I am walking by a construction site, it’s nice to hear the pounding of a hammer rather than my mental to-do list racking my brain. Better yet are some of the interactions I have had that I would have totally missed had my hearing been obstructed. I’ve heard an old friend calling my name, after which we rekindled our friendship which has lasted to this day. I’ve heard musicians singing their hearts out on the street—some of whom I expect to see on the center stage one day and others just having fun, both of which are enjoyable. I’ve heard dogs barking, children laughing and birds singing, and, yes, I know I might be romanticizing this whole ordeal a tad, but I mean it when I say that these are the little noises that make each day all the more enjoyable.
With technology, as incredible as it has been for our world, our society has become fairly impersonal. So why egg it on when you have an easy opportunity to fight that? Your music isn’t going anywhere, but the world around you is constantly changing, and you might as well witness it rather than shy away from it in the solitude of your handy dandy earbuds. Just give it a try. Coil up that wire (which, according to the iPhone 7, is apparently phasing out, anyway), stick it in your pocket for later and walk within the environment around you—you’ll be surprised just how soothing it can be.
