In the wake of the election, I've been on my phone more than ever. People are constantly posting on social media. There are so many new articles coming out and so many events to keep track of, and whenever I have free time or am procrastinating from homework (always a fun, if useless activity), I'm looking online on Facebook and other sites at news and posts. It's interesting, thinking about how much I use and rely on my phone now that I'm in college. Before then, I hardly ever used it. Before the summer, I didn't even have a newer phone; I was perfectly satisfied with my flip phone, using it to call parents and occasionally send texts. Although 'perfectly satisfied' may be an exaggeration...there's nothing more annoying than pressing the same button three times, and waiting between each time, in order to get a single letter.

Anyway, it's only been a few months since I was glued to my phone like any other college student. And honestly, I can still understand what makes people like me so annoying. I'm oblivious to my surroundings; I'm glad I just walk around on campus instead of actually going off of it, but I like to think I'd be smart enough not to use my phone when I'm around streets. Hopefully! Moving on, I also text in mixed company (I'm ashamed to admit it). I sometimes use my phone to avoid talking when I don't want to, and I sometimes ignore others when I'm texting a friend or family member (the former, I must admit, can be very useful for a taciturn person like myself). I won't pretend being hooked to your phone is a great way to live one's life, and yet throughout my time at college I've found that having my phone and using it regularly does have an important benefit.

One thing that's new about college (among many other things) is that I have a larger group of friends than I ever had before. For most of my teenage life I've only had one really close friend, but outside of him, school, and my family, I didn't really have a group of people I saw regularly and actually spent time with. On a small campus like Ursinus, however, I've been connected to a larger group of people who I can't avoid seeing even if I wanted to. And since everyone has different schedules and workloads, it can be hard to find times to meet. But through the all-mighty cellphone, we have ways to keep in contact! Texting and apps like Messenger have made it easier than ever for people (a category I fall under, if loosely) to keep in touch with friends. Although there are certainly times I want my privacy, I'm glad to be socially connected.

This is something I think can often be taken for granted. I can keep in touch with not only my friends, but also with my family now that we all have smartphones. We can actually have conversations that aren't unbearably frustrating (damn flip phone texting)! I don't live far away from home, but it's still nice to be able to get in touch with my family, and it's nice to be able to text a friend when I'm feeling alone, sick of homework, or both. While it does come with its downsides, as mentioned before, I really do feel like being connected to people through technology is an incredible asset. I'm glad that I'm able to have a phone and communicate with people I care about even if I can't see them in person or hear their voice. I value that level of connectedness with others, even if it can be a little much sometimes.

There's an argument to be had for cellphones making people less connected with the world around them. As well as being physically unaware, the sheer amount of information people absorb through their phones, whether it's searching the web, going on social media, or having multiple text conversations at one time, can draw people away from reality. It's easy to drown in the seemingly endless sea of information that most Americans now have at their fingertips; disengaging with the world by plugging into tech is always a risk. But humans are social creatures, and I think that people inherently need connection with others, whatever form that might take. In the case of communication with others, I feel that cellphones offer more of a pool than a vast ocean. You can swim amongst data and digital displays with people you care about. It offers connection to a different kind of world, a world woven by the webs of social connection. It's not physical in form, but it's no less important to humankind.