In an age where we are constantly plugged in and on the go every waking minute of our lives, it is time that we take a step back every once and a while. I know that there are some days when there’s barely time for sleeping or eating a full meal between classes and meetings and other engagements, I’m guilty of this too. Most mornings after my alarm goes off the first thing I do, with my eyes still half shut, is check my texts and emails. It’s so automatic for me to just immediately start my day like that.
Walking around campus and seeing the number of people checking their phones on the way to class, head down and blindly walking to their destination is absolutely astonishing. I’m not saying that there’s anything wrong with it—we have been brought up in the age of technology, where it’s completely normal to watch TV, have a conversation, be stalking someone’s Facebook and texting a friend all at the same time. As of 2013, the average attention span of an adult was eight seconds—one second shorter than a goldfish. So what are we missing when we are so completely wrapped up in our social media, emails and games?
“Pics or it didn’t happen” has been taken to a whole new level with Snapchat, it’s almost impossible to find an organic laughing picture that hasn’t been posed, and a picture is simply not Instagram worthy until it has at least two different filters. The problem that this poses is that people spend more time carefully crafting their captions then they do enjoying the company of others.
The time has come for us to take a step back from all of our obligations, to stop worrying about how many likes our picture is going to get, and to stop “doing things for the Snapchat story.” When we lift our heads from the glowing LED lights of our phones, we will begin to realize that there is so much going on in the world around us. There’s beauty and humor and simply the enjoyment of connecting with another person face to face. We are in the best times of our lives, and it makes no sense to watch it through a four-inch screen.
It is time that we make time for ourselves again. I’m not suggesting that we go haywire and stop using all of our electronic devices or anything—that would be silly. However, I do believe that making the effort to put your phone away when you’re out to lunch with a friend, or at a party or even walking to class will make a difference in your day. Your relationships will benefit from you being able to devote your full attention to them and you’ll be able to enjoy where you are. In the long run, I truly think that making this conscious effort to be where you are at will make you a happier and less stressed person. There’s a time and place for everything, but just because we have the capability to do all these things at any moment does not mean that we have to. Make time for yourself to be in the now. I swear, you’ll notice there’s much more going on around you than you might think.
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