I’m known as “the person who never answers the phone.” I’m sure if you’re reading this, you can relate by being that same person, or knowing someone who never answers the phone. You know how in the movies people get that one phone call in jail and they pray that person picks up? Yeah, I would never be someone’s one phone call because chances are, I won’t answer.

It takes me a couple of hours to reply back to anyone in text message too. I am in some group messages and sometimes I silence the notifications, and when I check them I have 54 unread, and it has been three hours since I last noticed they were coming through. So, why exactly does it take me forever to answer messages and why do I hardly answer any phone calls?

Because I’m too busy enjoying the moment with someone. I’m too busy making memories and having in person conversations. I’m too busy being completely present in what I am doing to even remember to check my phone for notifications. Most of the time I leave my phone in other rooms and then realize it’s gone. I basically lose my phone five times a day.

I have really made it a point this year to focus on being present with the people I am with and the things that I do. I remember so many memories from when I was in middle school before I had a phone. I don’t have pictures from every single memory of being younger but I remember most of them so clearly because I felt the emotions. You know how people say, “Wow that feels like yesterday?” Sometimes I can literally feel the emotions I had all over again. I remember all of the crazy adventures we came up with because that’s all we had to do. I remember what it felt like spending weekends in hotels with my teammates and sneaking out to the lobby. I remember the Fall Out Boy concert in sixth grade because I was listening instead of recording and sending snap chats the whole time.

I went to a concert recently and I turned my phone on airplane mode. When I got there my battery was at 93 percent, and when I left it was at 70 percent. Usually, before a concert even ends my phone has already died. I took pictures when we got there and I recorded a short video or two, but other than that I listened to the whole concert and it was one of the best nights of my life. I got to spend it celebrating with my little sister for her birthday, and be with one of my best friends. I will remember that night for the rest of my life.

Imagine how it feels when you are hanging out with someone and they check the phone every five minutes. The worst situation is when you are telling someone a story, and while you are speaking, they look down and check the phone. You instantly realize that they really aren’t listening and they basically just told you they don’t care that much about your great story you couldn’t wait to tell them. It feels really bad when someone does that. At least for me it does. This is why I have started being more conscious about being on my phone. I want people to know that I am interested in what they have to tell me and that I am excited to be hanging out with them. I don’t want to have my phone going off while I am working out. Working out is “me” time. I feel like everyone deserves “me” time, and that is mine.

I spend a lot of time looking at a computer for work and the last thing I want to do, is stare at a smaller version of my computer all day. Yes, there are times when I forget to reply to text messages. Yes, there are times when I just don’t answer my phone because I’m cranky and don’t feel like talking to anyone. It happens, right? But, most of the time I am too busy giving someone or something else my undivided attention.

I don’t necessarily know if it is good how often I actually forget to check my phone and I probably should pay a little more attention to it since I don’t answer for hours. But, I really enjoy when my boyfriend and I go out on dates and we can shut the rest of the world out for a while and have good conversations and laugh together. I really enjoy binge watching “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” with my little sister and laughing at things that nobody else would think is funny. I love taking pictures so that I can look back and remember certain memories, but I am really happy that when I look back at those pictures, and I can remember details because I was “there.”

So, I’m really sorry if it seems like I always miss your phone calls, take forever to text you back, don’t scroll down far enough on Instagram to see your picture, or open your Snapchat for two days. I am just too busy soaking in life. Sorry, I'm not sorry?