It's only later in my adolescence that I have begun to realize the extent to which phones and the Internet have infiltrated my life. I grew up reading books like crazy, staying up until 3 AM to get through the book or to reach that chapter that didn't have a cliffhanger before it. This way of growing up definitely contributed to how I did in school because it gave me more access to challenging vocabulary and adult situations. Without reading at the early age I did, I believe I would have had a more difficult time learning.

However, despite my early advantages, my constant reading and absorption of literature began to fall by the wayside around sixth grade. Around this time, I started to leave the house more, hung out with my friends and rode bikes, played soccer with my travel team, and basically stopped reading new books. The sense of adventure I got from reading wasn't really found there anymore. I found it through my friends and sports. Now this, was natural for a young girl my age, as was my obtainment of a phone in order to keep in touch with my parents.

But, later, when I quit soccer and switched schools to my new high school, where I didn't do much other than participating in the band, by all accounts I should have picked up books again. Long story short, I didn't. By this time, smartphones and iPods and computers were in every household and were even in use in my school! I started binge-watching Netflix, playing video games, and created multiple social media accounts. I feel like this cemented my lack of reading and started a precedent for social media browsing and internet usage.

Today, pretty much everything is accessible online. Assignments are to be turned in online, email is used to contact professors, and even classes are conducted online. Reading seems to have no place in this fast-paced, digital world, other than to be accessed online as well. In short, reading needs to have a place in the world today, so that education can be increased in fields other than the ones taught in school. This especially applies to college students and adults who are no longer in school. Taking time away from television and the Internet is imperative to keeping a society healthy and educated.