Do you ever have those class assignments that you absolutely dread doing because you don't see the purpose behind it? Okay, so I think we've all been there. My assignment had me sitting at a campus Starbucks making eye contact with complete strangers.

For one of my classes, I had to observe social interactions for twenty minutes while taking detailed notes and otherwise trying not to look like a stalker. While I get the point of this assignment, being part of a course that includes an end-of-semester, 20-page ethnography, it was still an awkward assignment at first.

Sitting with my back to the sun on my campus Starbucks, I immediately was drawn to an interaction in the middle of the room with two middle-aged men who were carrying on animately, one man in particular with his arm draped nonchalantly over his chair. As I scanned the line and saw the onslaught of students that were now pouring in, I couldn't help but notice not only the attention that was being paid to everyone's respective phone, but also the lack of diversity that I noticed. So many times we don't even realize just how robotic we all look.

Another thing I noticed was that this was totally out of my comfort zone, but it felt right at the same time actually practicing human interaction. What was this, people actually interact with each other? Amazing! But I couldn't help feeling sheepish when someone would catch me gazing at them and writing inconspicuously. We're trained in this generation to retreat to our own space; and as an introvert, I totally get it. I want my own space after being surrounded by others all day. However, when that's all we do, it becomes less of a retreat and more of a lifestyle of isolation.

So what did I come away with from this assignment, besides that observing people and writing notes can be a bit of a challenge? It taught me this: when we stare at our phones, using it to fuel our moods, thoughts and interactions, we're missing out on what we're intended for. Phones are a definite supplement to our lives and help us tremendously, but its helpfulness is limited at the point where it becomes a social crutch.

If we're constantly looking for ways to isolate, rather than be around others, the strangers around us will simply remain just that.