My generation is constantly being told "your lives are taken over my technology" "you're addicted to wifi", "look up". Until about 3 weeks ago, I thought I would ignore that because it "didn't affect me"- I never saw myself as one of those people, but after moving to England and not having Wifi for a couple days, I realized how much my generation and I rely so heavily on this concept of technology that I find myself taking advantage of. With that being said, here's a list of a bunch of things that technology has affected that you probably never thought twice about it because that app was "the next best thing".

We don't know how to date anymore. Now, because of Tinder, etc. our generations perception of dating is absolutely absurd compared to the previous generations'. We find ourselves lowering our standards for the first person that comes along and "super likes" us. There's no more blind dates, or just talking to people we find interesting in an unfamiliar place. People say that blind dates can be dangerous, but so is online dating- especially with the concept of cat fishing, you don't/won't know the person you're talking to until you actually meet them and speak to them. Even if you know people for years, they can end up being crazy in the end. Take a chance!

We don't know how to communicate. We find ourselves jumping at our phones to communicate with each other. People used to write letters, send telegrams, you name it- Apple wasn't involved. Yes, with Facebook and Instagram and Tumblr, we can communicate with people all around the world at all hours of the day, but we just do it too much. I'd be a hypocrite to say that everyone needs to cut out technological communication all together, but we just need to be more conscious of what we're missing out on a daily basis. Since being across the pond, I've gotten tons of letters and cards from my loved ones at home. So, instead of just texting them back- I made sure to send some postcards back. I got great responses back. Yeah it's quicker to send a picture of Stonehenge through text- but how much more sentimental to mail a postcard actually from Stonehenge (or whatever) and it arrive unexpectedly at it's destination.

A mixtape- what's that?? Just quickly, I'd like to point out that mix tapes are dying out and it's depressing. My best friend has made me a couple over the last few years, but it's so much easier for us to just look up a Spotify playlist for our daily jog or for when we're sitting on the bus for extended hours. We're taking the easy way out more often than not and it's kind of scary. We expect everything to load within seconds, we literally won't wait for anything. Doing something as simple as making a playlist for someone you care about and then actually putting it on a CD, is so thoughtful and meaningful that we should really be doing it more. Although is is an expensive habit, my sister and I have been recent concert-goers. Although it's great to see your favorite band live, it's a little pathetic how many people go crazy about capturing the ENTIRE thing on their cellphone. If you're so busy trying to tape it, you're probably not even enjoying the actual concert. Challenge yourself and go to a concert with a dead phone, although it seems a bit frantic if it's crowded, it's a much more memorable experience.

We can't focus. I like doing my homework in the comfort of my own bed, I honestly can say that I can't stay focused for more than 10 minutes at a time. It's takes so much more time to do assignments! Between making sure the music is just right, checking up on the Twitter every 10 minutes, grabbing a snack, having Netflix open, we're driving ourselves crazy with it! Not sticking to our work makes us more stressed out in the end because work is taking more time out of our day. So, if you insist on listening to the ultra-clutch playlet while you study or do work, make one with a couple hundred songs and then let it play (it would also help if you turned your phone on silent...trust me).

Most importantly, we're missing the beauty the world has to offer. Since being abroad, I've realized that the world is such a wonderful place. When I go on a bus trip, I'm the first to pop my headphones in and take a nap. I've been doing my best to try and "forget" my headphones once in a while. I actually have to force myself to look at nature around me while I'm passing time on the bus. As lame as it is, I always feel more appreciative for the world around me even if I just look out the window while being a passenger. It really is the little things, as "basic" as that sounds.

So, it seems as though we should take everyone's advice and actually look up once in a while. There is an entire world around us that we're completely fine with missing just because "this new snapchat filter is bomb" or "the new update for instagram is lit". This problem will only get worse, and if we don't address it more and give ourselves a reality check (even if that means unplugging the wifi router once in a while). As as stereotypical as it sounds- LOOK UP. I sure will.