In this modern age, technology is an integral part of our lives. Everything is connected to the Internet and everything is connected to the cloud somehow. Though most don't really know how this technology works, we have grown to accept technology as crucial to our day-to-day activities. In this new technological age, the use of smartphones has increased greatly - 64% of Americans owned a smartphone in 2015 as opposed to 31% in 2011, according to a Pew Research Center Survey. Seven (7 percent) of Americans rely on their smartphones as their only reliable Internet access. Smartphones can be a tool for some people, but for many people, owning a smartphone is a huge distraction and burden. Over the last ten years, we have seen numerous pieces and articles about FOMO (the Fear Of Missing Out). With a constant window into the lives of our friends and family, a question forms in the back of your mind: am I missing out? Are my friends having more fun without me? For some, this fear can become debilitating, as they always are checking their phone to stay updated on what’s happening. A couple months ago, I found myself constantly checking my phone, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, and even Facebook occasionally. I realized that I wasn’t checking social media to stay updated. It had merely become a habit. I filled my time opening my phone and scrolling, without any particular purpose, like many of my peers. I became tired of constantly reaching for my phone. I felt like I was accumulating hours of wasted time. So I did something drastic, radical, and unprecedented in the 21st century.
I unplugged.
I was surprised at the reactions of some of my peers who gave me odd looks after I told them I deleted Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, and Facebook from my phone. Some were genuinely surprised that I had decided to “fast”. Fasting from my smartphone was interesting because I realized just how often I used my iPhone for nothing in particular. I would reach to for my phone and unlock it, only to remember that I had deleted my social media. In the first week, I recognized how often I was looking at my phone. A couple times I had to stop and laugh at myself as I unlocked my phone, only to remember that nothing was on it. I had new found free time to myself. I was forced to fill up all those hours I had once used on my phone with something else. I wrote, read books, and had more time to myself and my thoughts. Being disconnected, I realized how often and my peers and I use our phones as a “social crutch” if you will. Whenever conversations became dull or we’re waiting for class to start, many would turn back to their phones. I was almost like an outsider looking in. I found myself forcing people into conversations away from their phones. And for the five weeks I fasted, I was able to clear my head just a little bit. Technology is a good thing. It helps us stay more connected and makes life easier. But I think everyone should take a couple weeks and unplug. It makes self-reflection and growth much easier.
