Simple life: "Living one's life in such a way that is void of technology, stress, and the general nuances of common life."

When I used to think about having a simple life, I would quite literally cringe. I am 19 years old and thinking about not having TV, my phone, social media or even my music made me think the world would be falling apart.

How naive is that, to let your world revolve around such materialistic idols? That's simply what they are, right? They're items that hold no true value in our lives. Items that, believe it or not, our parents grew up without. And guess what, they survived. They had real valuable relationships and made it through life by (gasp) reading the newspaper and writing letters.

Can you even think of a time when the world functioned without the internet, TV, or cellphones? I couldn't before this summer started. In fact, my first few days at camp, I cried -- actually cried -- because I couldn't contact my friends and family at any time of the day. (Side note: I literally had no service, zip, zilch, nada!)

While at camp, I had to function on only talking to people when I got into town, which was not often. And guess what, people? I loved it! Being away from my phone, the news and social media was the most relieving feeling I had this summer.

I got the chance to remember what it was like when I was a kid and was forced to have real, genuine conversations with those around me. I relearned how to work through conflict in person, how to tell people what I'm feeling and how to get to know people personally, all without sending a single text message!

I got to form real, meaningful relationships with those around me. Without my phone, I got to return to the simple things in life again. I wrote letters. That's right, I actually took the time to sit down, put pen to a paper, buy a stamp, and send out letters to the people I wanted to contact. Granted, it took a while to actually get a letter back, but they came in time, and I loved getting them.

Now, since I'm back in the "real world," I can't just shy away from social media and my phone, can I? Not really, but I can continue to realize that social media shouldn't be my main concern.

So take my advice and realize that there are things that exist outside of your phone screen. Get outside and notice the people and places around you. Learn to enjoy the simple pleasures in life again. Maybe even write a letter or two if you're feeling extra simple.