I triple dog dare you to unplug.

Uh oh, the dirty ‘U’ word: unplug. We hear it constantly telling us to unplug before bed to get better sleep, to unplug in social situations, to unplug from technology in general in order to be more present; we are connected to our technology like it is a drug. It is a never ending cycle of hearing the research conducted then promising ourselves we will actually give it a try.

I tend to pride myself on my ability to respond to people fast with my texts, and will admit I tend to get frustrated when people don’t do the same for me. I had a friend recently explain to me when he doesn’t respond it’s because he’d much rather have a meaningful conversation when he texts rather than an absent-minded one. I took that straight to the heart. The amount of times I would mindless drag on a conversation and forget what I actually said minutes later are astounding. Not only that but we tend to text the same people so frequently when confronted by that individual we already know every detail of their day.

I decided to try for one whole week to unplug in the simplest way possible – I did not look at my phone as I walked from one destination to the next on campus. This included my commute to lectures, the dining hall, the rec, and to my car. Considering Kent State campus is massive and takes roughly 15 minutes (I even walk fast) to get from one destination to the next the temptation to scroll through Instagram is daunting. The buzz from my pocket made my fingers itch, but as the days rolled by the urge subsided and I no longer had the desire to look at my screen. Here’s what actually happened in 7 days unplugged.

1. I learned that people are addicted.

I barely see anyone not on their phones anymore. Whether they are talking on it, texting, scrolling, or simply admiring it, it is in our hands constantly. If anybody argues that we technology isn’t an addiction take 5 seconds to look around you.

2. I had meaningful conversations.

I had no idea I passed some of my friends almost every single day. We were, of course, paying attention to our phones not realizing we were walking practically side by side. I made lunch plans and caught up with people I hadn’t seen since the previous semester. Not only did I talk to people face to face more, but when I did text I made sure I was as invested in the conversation as possible rather than mindlessly texting.

3. I noticed the world.

Black squirrels stuffing their mouths. Trees perfectly covered in snow as if they were dipping in white chocolate. Bells ringing song tunes across the campus signaling the hour. The world is absolutely beautiful, but all we see anymore is a screen full of edited images when the true beauty is right in front of our faces.

4. I focused on myself and my goals.

The ideas and thoughts that formed in my head astounded me. Writing for an online forum, working three jobs, taking 15 credit hours, leadership positions in 2 organizations while finding time to eat and workout can leave my brain fried. Let alone attempting to keep up with the minute updates of others left me uninspired. By truly listening to my body, ideas and emotions poured out of me faster than my pencil could find paper to capture the moment.

In one 10 minute walk to class, I heard 3 different languages, made lunch plans with my friend, noticed the rock was newly painted and came up with 4 new bucket list items. Those 10 minutes helped me learn more about myself and the world around me than a screen could have ever imagined. I no longer feel needed to keep my phone attached to my hip – in fact, I wouldn’t completely freak if I did happen to forget it at home. Technology shouldn’t run our lives; that’s our job.