Phones: we have them, we use them, we love them, we (maybe) hate them. One things for sure, they are pretty convenient. But at what cost?

Everywhere you look, people are on their phones. But, I bet you didn’t notice because I bet you are one of those people. Phones are a great way to facilitate communication between friends, family, work affairs, you name it. However, it’s important to realize that even though technology is great, it shouldn’t be a substitution for actual face to face social interaction.

While it’s easy to fall victim to the ease of “hiding” behind your phone, it’s equally as important to embrace reality. It’s becoming an increasingly prominent trend for people to choose to text rather than call, FaceTime instead of physically meet, etc. While these things are great in a pinch, they should not always be the go-to. What happens when this becomes a routine is, people forget what it’s like to build relationships and adequately function when faced with social interaction in society.

In some instances, especially among the younger generations, social media platforms accessed through smart phones contribute to a host of mental disorders and lowered self-esteem as they promote and praise adhering to “social norms” rather than expressing individuality or passions central to individualism. Now I’m not bashing the gram here, I’m just saying, how many followers you have doesn’t indicate your self-worth.

Another problem, and I’m speaking from experience here, is that rather than living in the moment, people can start to participate in activities solely for the purpose of how it will look on their profile. But why? If you’re only jumping off that cliff with a 400$ camera in your hand so some random people on the internet think you’re cool, you may want to reconsider your priorities.

Technology and its gateways are great, don’t get me wrong. They allow opportunities for networking, communication between loved ones who are long-distance, among many other great benefits. All I’m saying is: your phone shouldn’t be your life line. Look up, look around and realize that life is about more than just how you look online. It’s about the relationships and memories you make and the mark you leave on the world. Don’t get so caught up in the ease of communicating with your phone that you forget to actually communicate with the people, and the world, around you.