Cell phones are both a blessing and a curse. A blessing to connect with family and friends when there is distance between one another because we are basically never out of touch but they are a curse when you are with loved ones and these devices just become a distraction. Cell phones are extremely addictive and they cause humans to lose sleep, to lose focus and to lose connections to others. They can ruin pretty much any situation from dinner to a movie, to a party. People receive calls continuously and it is just an interruption during social events. Sure, texting is an option but through texting it is nearly impossible to tell tone of voice and emotions and that still limits your attention to those around you.

I spent this past week in Phoenix, Arizona hiking and spending time with my parents, brother, aunt, cousin and uncle. (I wrote this article sitting on the top of Papago Park, enjoying the view.) I have always been someone who is glued to my phone and I have never really realized how much cell phones have truly taken over our lives until now, especially my generation. We go out to eat and we stare at them, playing games, browsing social media and texting even though we are surrounded by people who are open to having a conversation. We go to class where we are supposed to learn and pay attention but instead we ignore the instructor to look through something that will be there when class is over. Nearly every single moment is documented on our cell phones through pictures... so do you ever really get the chance to enjoy the company and the scenery if all you do is sit behind a screen? No.

Let’s be honest, just about everyone complains about how quickly their phone dies. Whether it is an iPhone or a Samsung, someone is always putting the blame on the phone itself. BUT, has it ever been thought about that the owners of the phone are using the device too much? I mean, if you sit on it for three hours obviously it is going to die eventually.

So when it does die, I hope you are in a situation where you cannot charge your phone for a few hours and I hope you look around and realize how many thing are going on around you. All things bigger and better than anything that will pop up on a tiny screen.

Speaking of bigger and better things, have you ever climbed to the top of a mountain just to sit there and enjoy what you see rather than to take pictures? I have and I can tell you right now it is way better than starring at your phone. I sat at the top of a mountain in Arizona and I believe I truly found myself. Everything in my life seemed to come together and I have a much deeper understanding of myself. Pictures do not do the view justice so why waste all your time taking them... Sure, take a few but that’s not what the journey is all about. After sitting on the top of a mountain for a few hours I realized life is not about drama and worrying about other people. It is about bettering yourself. It is so amazing to just sit and feel nothing but joy because you have no one texting or calling you with issues. Who cares what others are doing, care about what you are doing first. Sit at the top and pray until you have nothing left to pray for or think about your future or write a letter to a friend or just enjoy the view. But for the love of god, turn the phone off and enjoy life.

I am completely guilty of letting my phone take over my life, I check my phone an average of 174 times a day and have an average 5 hours and 36 minutes of screen time per day according to an app called ‘Moment’. Starting today, there is going to be a change. I am going to limit my cell phone usage and I challenge you to do the same. I am going to do this by deleting a different social media app such as Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter, every month. My plan is to delete Snapchat in January, Twitter in February and Instagram in March. I will be keeping Facebook just for my Odyssey articles. I also would like to stop my habit of texting and driving and also keep all of my notifications turned off. Other than that, I am going to keep the other apps deleted until I learn that life is not about the screen, but the people. I encourage all of you who are reading this to do the same and if you are going to try it out with me please let me know so we can support each other along the way! I know this is going to be a challenge for me but I also know I have missed out on so many things because I chose to hide behind a screen and I am done living that way. My life will be changing for the better and I could not be more excited about it.

Life is too short to live behind a screen and I cannot stress that enough so it is your turn to make the choice. Either sit behind the screen and let it take over your life or try to detach yourself so you have the opportunity to live in the moment and enjoy the company of those you love.