“Technology can be our best friend, and technology can also be the biggest party pooper of our lives. It interrupts our own story, interrupts our ability to have a thought or a daydream, to imagine something wonderful, because we're too busy bridging the walk from the cafeteria back to the office on the cell phone.” – Steven Spielberg   

I struggled a bit this week to come up with a topic to write about. I walked around campus between classes one day, mind open, trying to think of something clever. Something humorous. Something that would be a lot simpler than I was making it out to be. And then it hit me. The idea was staring me right in the face. As I walked down the stairs from one building, crossed the street, and approached the doors of another, I noticed every single person I passed was on their phone. Every. Single. One.

Every student that I witnessed on my three minute journey was face down, mind drained in their half written Tweet, unfiltered Instagram post, or unfinished text message in the 5 inch device they held in their hands. I saw people almost run into each other because neither of them were paying attention to anything else but their phones. It got me to thinking, “Why do we always feel the need to stay connected? Why can’t we just walk and talk to actual human beings instead of hiding behind a phone to carry us over from one place to the next?”

We all just need to put down the phone.   

There’s so much in life we are missing out on when our cell phones engulf every minute of our lives, from sun up to sun down. According to an IDC Research Report, “Four out of five smartphone users check their phones within the first 15 minutes of waking up. 80% of those say it’s the first thing they do in the morning.” 80%?! That blows my mind! What is so important that needs to be checked the second we see daylight in the morning?   

So give it a rest. You really don’t need to check your phone every minute. It can wait. They can wait. Focus on YOU and YOUR life, and stop comparing your lives to others by obsessing over them on social media. “Oh my gosh, why do they have more ‘likes’ than me? Why is her life so perfect? Why does he always get so many retweets and I can’t? ” Seriously, just stop it.   

We’ve become programmed to respond the second we hear our phones tick. One ring, one bell, and we immediately have to pick it up and look at it. What’s the rush? It’s like we believe our constant need for connection is more important that our present time at hand. Time that is missed and wasted because of a stupid phone.

I’ll admit, I’ve had my times of phone addiction as well. But I’ve come to realize how simply annoying it is to always feel the need to respond immediately. Now, I’ll leave my phone in my room and not even look at it for hours. I keep my phone in my locker at work during my shift so I can focus on my job. It’s a wonderful feeling to disconnect.   

So do yourselves a favor, and just put down the phone. See your surroundings. Go out with your friends or go out for a meal and don’t post about it. Let your phone ring and go to voicemail every once in a while. Talk to the people around you and learn about who they are. Listen to your professors in class instead of hiding your phone in your lap as you secretly play Trivia Crack or pin your 4000th pin on Pinterest. Be INDEPENDENT from your phone.   

It’s your life, so start living in it.