Sat in complete silence, I am surrounded by friends whose eyes are fixed upon their iPhones. As they furiously scroll and tap, making few attempts at actual conversation, I am both restless and silently smug. Without divulging the gory details, I broke my own iPhone over the Christmas holidays and have thus been left with a contraption that was cutting edge… in 2008. A garishly pink, Samsung flip phone, it is embarrassing and yet highly refreshing. Not only am I able to sassily snap the phone shut after a heated conversation but, it’s an effective conversation starter.
“Cool phone” strangers will tell me in clubs. Of course, they are either being sarcastic or just very, very hipster. Regardless, it’s enabled me to make many a friend in Bodega and I have finally found the edge I’ve long been lacking.
At the risk of sounding pretentious, quitting my iPhone addiction – cold turkey – has been an enlightening experience. My social etiquette and general manners have improved drastically as I actually listen to those around me. No longer do I half-heartedly engage in conversation while simultaneously Instagram-stalking that girl from my seminar class. Gone are the days of intensely glaring at a screen in order to avoid contact with vaguely familiar faces on the 34 bus.
Naturally, there are times when I crave Snapchat or Instagram. Notably, the struggle of living without WhatsApp is real. It’s especially frustrating when I am left blissfully unaware of plans because my friends have forgotten I cannot access our group on the app.
“We put it on the WhatsApp chat!” one bemoaned when I, yet again, failed to show up at a house viewing.
Nevertheless, the experience has been wholly eye-opening. While I may have believed myself to be rather original in a world of social media addicts, quitting technology has become quite the fashion statement. A testament to this, ‘Digital Detox’ is – rather ironically – an app that is fast garnering popularity. Temporarily disabling all other apps on one’s iPhone, many have begun using it in a rebellion against our obsessed society.
There are a plethora of advantages to completing a digital detox. Not having to worry about an embarrassing Snapchat story the morning after a drunken night out is but one example. Furthermore, the benefits it has on your mental well-being and self-esteem are phenomenal. Above all else, it prevents distraction during that all important exam season!
Edited by Mackenzie Orrock
Image courtesy of author