In my last article, I talked about how Apple screwed up my custom AirPod order. I was given two options of either accepting a pair non-engraved AirPods or call a toll-free number and not be guaranteed a pair. So I took the AirPods and in the initial couple of weeks, they were buggy and not up to standard. I legitimately thought I was given a janky pair of headphones and contemplated returning them. And I never return anything I buy so you know I meant business. So the school year has just started and now it's either airpods or walk the streets of Athens in silence. And surprisingly, the AirPods work fine now. It seems that the more I used them the more they started to mellow out. Which is a strange business tactic by Apple? Either that or I just have a weird pair.
In the weeks leading up to school, I decided to give my AirPods case some personality since I didn't get the engraving. So I went to Amazon and purchased a Mike Wazowski case. Let me tell you that the case definitely helps me stand out from the crowd. It was easy to slip on and now whenever I am looking for my case it is super easy to spot it. Anyways, let's discuss the actual product. The pros and cons now that I've used these things for two months or so.
Right off the bat, these AirPods sound just like regular Apple wired earbuds. Which is not a bad thing, the sound quality gets the job done and can get pretty loud when need be. This tiny thing packs a punch with sound. Speaking of small, the size of the AirPods make it easy to lay in bed and not having to worry about a tangled wired or the edge of the headphone rubbing up against anything. And not having a wire to worry about has been a blessing. Unlike other people, I adapted with the wires. I used to stuff it underneath my shirt. Out of sight, out of mind. But truth be told, I would eventually pull the wire from underneath my shirt if it was restricting access to my phone. Now I don't have to worry about any wires and it is so satisfying to be able to just take out the AirPods and putting them in a case. With that sweet clicking noise to shut it.
My AirPods CaseMarc Anthony Brown
An added bonus to having AirPods is my new Apple Watch. What do I mean by this? Well, I will be honest, I wasn't planning on buying an Apple Watch this summer. I don't want to classify it as an impulse buy because I actually use it every day. Tracking my steps or answering texts and stuff like that. It's much easier to look at my watch then pull out my phone to check the weather. Now thanks to the combined efforts of my watch and headphones, I can pause and play songs by just touching my watch face. I know that having my watch is an indirect plus to the AirPods since I don't need to pull out my phone but I don't care I love it. It makes me feel like James Bond checking my watch of the future from MI6.
An example of the interface with the Apple Watch connected to musicMarc Anthony BRown
There are some downsides to having the AirPods. The main one I've found is maybe just sometimes it feels a little too easy for them to fall out. Like maybe it's just my anxiety but I am cautious of where I walk when I have them on in case one slips out and falls down a drain. Other than that, there is no big glaring problem with the headphones.
Welp, that's it. I finally reached the end of this AirPods journey. A lot of time has passed, I went from a smuck with wired headphones to Tony freaking Stark. Call me the next Iron Man! All jokes aside, I am content with my purchase now. Sure there are ways to improve these airpods but for now, I enjoy them. Thanks for tagging along on this adventure!
I Limited My Social Media Usage And I Challenge You To, Too
My worth is not defined by the amount of likes I get.
Every morning at 8 a.m., my alarm goes off, I roll over, and the first thing I do is check my Snapchat only to open a bunch of pictures of the top of someone's head, or the wall, or — my favorite — a black screen. This is something we're all guilty of, myself included. We all know that social media is becoming an addiction amongst us, so why do we still use them in an unhealthy way? Why are our friendships defined by who has the longest streak? Why are our perceptions of others based on the most perfectly posed presentations of people? Why is our self-worth dependent on the number of double taps or shares or comments?
My world used to revolve around social media.
Every time I posted a picture on Instagram, I would constantly refresh to see how many likes I had accumulated. The worst part about that is I would get upset if I didn't get any likes in the seconds between each refresh.
If I got bored or had some downtime between classes, I would spend hours just scrolling through the same posts, hoping to find something different.
So much of my life was wrapped up in the superficiality of social media posts to the point where I no longer knew who I was. I would see pictures of my friends who ended up at the same college and feel left out, I would see girls from high school joining sororities, I would see people looking so stunning and having so much fun, and I let that be the thing that influenced how I felt.
Social media consumed me. It made me forget all the wonderful things I have in my life. It made me value a photo opportunity more than just enjoying the moment for what it is. Let me tell you that a moment is no less valuable just because it isn't visually appealing.
I've recently started using the Screen Time feature on my iPhone. I set a two hour per day limit on my social media usage, and when that time is up, I can no longer open the apps. Since then, I've been spending more time face-to-face with the people I care about. I've reconnected with old hobbies. I feel less stressed. I stopped comparing myself to others. I learned to be happy with myself.
I limit my social media usage because all the time I've spent aimlessly scrolling through Instagram is time I could've spent going for a walk and enjoying the warmth of Spring.
I limit my social media usage because I value face-to-face interaction. I value hugs and laughter and all the other things you can't get from a screen.
I limit my social media usage because it hurts my feelings when other people are on their phones when I'm trying to talk to them so how can it be right that I do that to someone else?
I think about how dependent on social media we have become, and it makes me so grateful that the sun is too bright to see our phone screens outside and that the mountains raise too high to have good cell service. I'm grateful that my friends make me laugh so hard that I don't even think to check my phone.
So, I challenge you to separate yourself from your social media. Even if it's just for a day. See how your life changes.