I sit here at the Humberto Delgado Airport in Lisbon observing the hustle and bustle of what is an ordinary Wednesday evening. Entering the aeroporto, my roommate and I were swarmed by a sea of travelers, all communicating in foreign European dialects. One thing we quickly learned: no one stops for you, and you don’t stop for them. If an individual desires to acquire the skills of independence and street smarts, they must travel independently to practically any European country; if you can navigate your way through the airport with ease, you’re in the club. I was struck seeing that there was not one available seat at any of the 47 gates for passengers to wait, and every cafe inside was packed with travelers. I was left to assume that either business must be going really well for the residents of Europe to be traveling to this frequency, or everyone and their mother is quenching a thirst for vacation at this exact moment.
Despite our apprehension and perception of our surroundings, we somehow remain unconscious and blind to the fact that the world around us moves at a relentless pace. When we’re deep in REM sleep, the inhabitants of hundreds of other countries are toiling tirelessly, maintaining their livelihoods, creating families, and turning off the lights in their homes as the sun rises for us. My airport experience highlighted this feeling: no one stops anymore. This trip has made me realize that though unhinged and overused, Ferris Bueller’s clichĂ© holds true as “life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”Â
We live in a generation where our brains are consistently stimulated by a screen. If you don’t believe me, look up anywhere in the space you’re in right now and you’ll locate one—you’re actually likely reading this from a screen. This became particularly evident during our trip, especially in Sintra, as we explored palaces and botanical gardens. As we entered King Fernando II’s hearst castle, we were truly taken aback by the regal interiors adorned with heirlooms and quintessential antiques of Portugal. As you exited one room and entered the next, the scenery only became more and more elegant. Yet we became slightly confused seeing the group in front of us clearly wasting their ticket money as their cameras captured these stunning images before their own eyes. Not once did I see any of them truly glance away from their phones and appreciate the space encompassing them. I couldn’t help but pity them, feeling they were missing the authentic Portuguese charm. This takes me back to my previous statement: they were, in my eyes, moving too swiftly to truly soak in the imagery around them. Let’s all be truthful and mature here: are you wholeheartedly going to look back in your camera roll of a picture of a tiny comb that a princess used in the 1500s? What about the table that the royal family dined and hosted their guests at? Or, would you rather mentally recollect the sharp architecture, the stone walls engraved with deities, and the conversations that you shared with your loved ones and friends while traversing this attraction?Â
However, I’d like to counter my own argument by expressing that encapsulating photographs is an efficient and wonderful way to preserve one’s memories. Coming back home from this trip, I’d definitely love to show my parents and friends all the excursions and experiences my roommate and I shared. However, I also wanted to leave my trip with zero regrets; I desired to be present in the moment and fully engage with each memory I was creating. Whether it was riding a chair lift through Capri or wandering the quiet, quaint streets of Lisbon, I was determined not to let a screen mediate my experience.Â
My main takeaway and advice to you is simple: look up once in a while if you can. Put down your devices and experience the world through your own eyes, not a lens. Allow all of your senses to connect with your surroundings by removing the technological barrier. Our youth is fleeting, and so is the opportunity to truly experience the world. Don’t waste it on technology that will one day dissipate. Your own internal “camera roll”—your memories—are far more valuable and enduring.