This past week I was assigned to go without technology for twelve hours for my media class, though I was only able to last six hours. I was dreading the day I had to do it, because I assumed that it was going to be impossible. Millennials have become so dependent on our little black rectangles; they house our music, our likes and even our credit cards. We are so attached that we panic the second we can’t remember where we have put our phone, or the second we drop it on the asphalt and are afraid to turn it over to see the damage.

I began my day at 9am, putting my phone on sleep mode and zipping it into the pocket of my purse. I grabbed my wrist watch and some textbooks and set off for my day. I went to a coffee shop for breakfast and as I sat down instead of pulling out my phone I pulled out the book I was currently reading (Modern Romance by Aziz Ansari). As I ate my bagel, I felt like I could actually focus on reading because I wasn’t checking my phone every few seconds for some sort of notification. I could actually appreciate what I was reading and absorb it. I didn’t even feel the need to go near my phone, I had entertainment and I was able to keep track of time with my watch. The next part of my day was taken up with five hours of meetings where I wasn’t allowed to have my phone out anyway.

By the afternoon I found myself in the library, I had to study for an upcoming math test so the lack of technology was a blessing in disguise. I set out my textbooks and notecards and began to get to work on writing out all the definitions I had to learn in pencil on real notecards. Usually, I would use the notecard making website Quizlet, because it’s quick and convenient. Now, as someone who has a learning disorder writing out definitions is a much better way to learn, I just never had the patience or attention span before. By the time I left the library, I had reached hour six, and suddenly I was back in my room with no other commitments and my phone made it out of my bag and was innocently sitting on my desk. “Maybe if i just check it quickly and then put it away?” I thought to myself, I shouldn’t, but I did. I cracked after six hours and started checking Snapchat, Instagram and Twitter.

Those six hours taught me that we don’t really need technology, we have just psychologically tricked our brains into thinking that we need to constantly be on it, checking what our friends are doing and making sure we are also doing something. Technology creates such clutter in our minds, constantly bombarding us with images and information. That morning that I was just able to read and enjoy my breakfast was such a nice feeling, I wasn’t stressed over why a friend of mine was texting me, I was just doing something for myself. Technology takes away all the simple moments that we now take for granted because we are so attached that we don’t take the time to notice the world and the small things around us.

Try this out for yourself, even if it’s just an hour. See how much of a difference it will make to the way you go about your day. I promise you that you will notice more about the place that you live and you will be more present when you have interactions with those around you.