I had my old phone for about two and a half years. If you want my honest opinion, I think that it is ridiculous that so many of our products start crumbling to bits after that approximate time-frame. The short lives of our technology only further contribute to the disposable nature of our society. Yet, that is a whole different story in itself. The most fascinating, and borderline terrifying, part of my phone finally giving out on me was the effect that it had on my life. I was only without my phone for about seven hours while I dropped it off at the store and proceeded with my daily routine.

In a Social Setting

My first observation during my cell phone hiatus hit me almost instantaneously. The moment I returned to my place, I noticed that all of my friends were on their phone. It made me really uncomfortable and I found myself instinctively reaching for my jean pockets, expecting my phone to magically appear. Being the only one not on my phone in numerous scenarios, it made me recognize how disconnected cell phones can make us from those that are physically right in front of us. It is amusing how much we use our phones as a crutch in awkward situations. It is an easy escape to draw your eyes down to a phone screen rather than trying to make conversation with another person. It is so much easier to send a Snapchat for three seconds with a Bitmoji explaining your feelings than sitting down with someone one-on-one and talking for hours on end. But, those are the moments that yield the most invaluable relationships and connections.

General Disconnect

I had to force myself to take my attention away from social media. Despite the fact that I had no phone in my pocket to check up on all of my followers, I kept having impulses to refresh a feed. Why is it that we feel that we need to know exactly what is happening in everyone else’s life the moment it happens? Isn’t there something somewhat special about having an enjoyable experience and simply living the moment rather than attempting to instantly share it with the world? I am a huge proponent of documenting great times, and I have the tendency to take my phone or camera out and snap pictures anywhere I go. This is a wonderful notion, because I can always go back and feel what I felt in those moments when I look through those images. Yet, while I had no phone, it was interesting to see how much more I could embrace my little life experiences and be completely present in them rather than being diverted by an obsessive need to inform a technological world.

Blatant Addiction and Reliance

It is terrifying to me how big of an impact that a small device can have on our lives. The number of times that I had to stop myself from reaching for my invisible phone was obscene. I was on edge and frustrated without my phone as if I was quite literally experiencing withdraw symptoms. I felt like my life was spiraling out of control. I didn’t have my notes for the day; I couldn’t constantly check my email; I didn’t know what all of my friends were doing 24/7; I had to find ways to find information other than a quick Google search. I was making real-life conversation with people; I was more focused in class and working on homework; I was stopping to smell the freaking roses in life. Honestly, those seven short hours changed my entire perspective about my own cell phone use. It made me angry that I have allowed myself to become so reliant on technology. It made me want to intentionally disconnect from technology and appreciate reality so much more than I do. I went seven hours without a phone and that is what happened.