Have you ever sat down with an elderly person and just listened to all the stories they have to tell? From having to call their crush on the house phone to pushing each other down hills in wagons, it seems as though their childhood had a little something extra that today’s upbringings lack.
When our parents were growing up they didn’t have smart phones, laptops, Xbox’s, hover boards and they certainly weren’t Keeping Up with the Kardashians. Now, we can’t even walk to class without looking down at our phones the entire time because heaven forbid we make actual eye contact with that kid from last night.
Growing up communicating behind screens has hindered our ability to interact with each other face to face. Its incredible how many people seem outgoing through text messages, only to find that they’re really nothing special when they don’t know how to confidently interact when they aren’t behind a screen. Instead of asking someone out on a date in person or by phone call, we text each other wondering if the other would be down to “Netflix 'n' chill.” Generations before us didn’t have that option, and in that respect, they’re better off than we are.
Aside from dating, with the changes of technology our means of seeking out self-validation have changed too. People base their worth off of how many likes they get on their Instagram or Facebook photos -- a concept that is foreign and silly to people who grew up without such social media. Instead of fostering self-worth from internal values, we turn to the approval of others through technology -- a platform that’s ready to judge without concern for the receiver. Turning to external sources in search of self-validation is a problem in and of itself, but social media and other technologies facilitate that search.
Now, students’ relaxation and leisure time is spent catching up on the latest episode of "Scandal" or binge watching "Friends" instead of spending time with friends and making connections. Sure, you can bond with someone over your favorite shows, but it’s not the same. Our parents didn’t have that. Instead of watching TV, they hung out throughout the neighborhood. Growing up without Google maps forced them to learn street names, shortcuts, and the layout of their city by exploring, and they had to be comfortable with getting lost to do so.
Technology does have its benefits and advantages, but there are moments when I wish I’d just grown up through middle school without being constantly connected to everyone around me. As we get older, kids receive cell phones at younger and younger ages. In fact, 53 percent of U.S. children receive their first cell phone at the age of six. Six. First graders should be playing with "Play Doh" and learning to color inside the lines, not playing mindless apps on a phone.
We need to give future generations and ourselves time to be kids. Time to be disconnected. I challenge you to turn off your phone for a day. Disconnect yourself from Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Pinterest, Twitter, etc. Don’t watch Netflix. Detach yourself from technology. Experience what it would’ve been like growing up without it. Use your imagination to entertain yourself. Be comfortable with getting lost. Explore the world and people around you. Sometimes we forget how beautiful life truly is when we’re staring at a screen all day.
