The crash was so loud it woke me up. Startled and confused, I glanced over to my clock and realized it was three in the morning. Often times, I sleep with a pile of school work at the foot of my bed. Maybe it was one of my books?

Nope, everything's in order.

Finally, my eyes shifted over to my bedside table, where I keep my phone on hand in case I need it and for a wake-up alarm. It wasn't there. My gaze drifted to the floor. There it was.

My immediate thought, like most others', was "Please, don't be cracked. Please, don't be cracked. Pleaaaaase, don't be cracked." Slowly, I turned the phone over to find no scratches, cracks, or dents...but it wouldn't turn on. My phone had officially broken.

So, for the time being, I'm using the dream phone of 2010: The Galaxy S, complete with a slide-out keyboard and all.

Initially, this change was upsetting and, quite honestly, annoying. But, soon enough, my mindset has changed completely.

Disconnecting, though forcefully, from the constant internet and social media access has been a clarifying experience. Free from distractions, I've been able to focus and finish my work faster than usual. My habit of browsing random apps or watching Youtube videos isn't as easy as pulling out my iPhone anymore.

While I miss some things, like my easy-to-access calculator, a convenient camera, and- not gonna lie- the occasional Snapchat picture or video, I've been able to live in the moment. But, often times, I was grabbing it because I could, not because I should.

I hadn't realized how much I'd been missing by taking time to check my Twitter or Instagram account while out in public. Instead, I'm able to take that time to really notice my surroundings, even meeting new people through small conversations in passing.

My excuses were always, "It's a way to connect with my friends." Or, "Well, it's harmless, everyone my age uses their phone constantly." I couldn't have been more wrong, though.

My mindset had only recently changed after watching the Netflix show "Black Mirror," an original series that analyzes the effect technology could have on our world, years from now. It's like the Twilight Zone and each episode is a stand-alone plot line (If you haven't seen it, I recommend).

The episode, "Nosedive," takes a vicious look at social media, a world in which your online ranking determines your social standing. However, what struck me the most was a scene in which every character in the background was staring at their cellphones, an oddly familiar experience. Look around you the next time you're out...it's a little unsettling to notice.

It's understandable to brush this off, to say, "Whatever, this is just what's considered normal now. We have technology, why not use it?" However, I'm not a proponent to stop using smartphones, but rather change the way and amount we handle them.

I'd argue that just because it's an option to consume media, doesn't mean it's always the healthiest. In fact, Apple stated that its "device users unlock their phones 80 times every day." In other words, six to seven times every hour.

So, I challenge you to delete one social media app from your phone. It can be the one you like least, or find yourself distracted by constantly. Either way, find the power in not letting your phone overtake your daily routine, like many of us do, but so often don't want to admit.