“Okay everyone give us your phones now,” may be one of the most dreaded phrases ever, but even more so at 5 o’clock in the morning as you are about to get in a van with a group of people you barely know. But this was a harsh reality for me last week as I boarded the van for a nine-hour drive to my service trip.
At first, it was not bad at all, considering it was 5 a.m. and everyone was catching up on their much-needed sleep. But once we finally woke up, I most definitely felt the strain of not having my phone to turn to. The next hour or so was filled with silence garnished with some trivial conversation. But soon we were solving riddles and playing games and laughing as though we actually knew each other, gradually bonding even if we didn’t really know it.
Throughout the rest of the week, I kind of forgot what it was like to have a phone, and I must say it was one of the greatest experiences ever.
While in the beginning it “forced” us to talk to each other, towards the end, even if I had my phone, I would rather hang around and chat with my peers. I was able to learn so much more about these people in a week without my phone than I know about some people I consider myself to be very close with.
Not having my phone, and therefore not following and stalking everyone on social media before I met them, allowed me to have an open mind and not come into the experience no preconceived notions. Everyone was new to me and had a new story to tell.
A week without my phone also let me learn a lot about myself. There was no pressure of social media or keeping contact with friends at home or feeling like I missed out on something at school or home. I was truly able to focus on the people I was with and our common goal in service. It allowed me to be myself without the pressure of “doing it for the snap story” or having affiliations because of who my friends were.
It was very liberating and almost like a detox from society. I think it’s important for everyone to take a step back every once in a while and talk and focus on something other than a screen. It allows you to reflect and think, not only about yourself but about things happening in the world around us. It also gives you the chance to make genuine relationships with others.
Honestly, going phoneless for a week, although not to my initial liking, was an extremely transformative experience and I honestly did not even want it back when the time came.
