While babysitting a five-year-old last week, he informed me that one of his friends at school had gotten an actual iPhone for her birthday. Yes, what you just read is correct. Nowadays, FIVE-YEAR-OLDS are getting iPhones. Cell phones are ubiquitous wherever you go, and have become so necessary in society that it is nearly impossible to find someone who doesn’t own one. In addition, we’ve become victims to our phones, almost to the point where they have become extensions of our being. We always know where our phones are, and if they are missing, it is almost as if the world has just ended.
Cutting to the chase- so why is all of this phone talk relevant? Well, due to unforeseen circumstances, my phone broke and I was completely out of commission. Even worse, I wasn’t able to get it fixed for over a week, leaving me completely reliant on my computer or friends for any communication. Living without a phone taught me more than I expected. Here are the top five things I learned from living without a phone.
1) Nature is pretty.
When your eyes aren’t glued to a tiny screen, you start to notice your surroundings more. I was able to enjoy Northwestern’s beautiful campus, and take it all in. From the architecture to the landscape, I noticed more this week than I had ever really noticed before, since I was forced to actually look around for once.
2) Eye contact is inevitable.
Walking down Sheridan is potentially one of my least favorite things. I even go great lengths to avoid it. However, when I didn’t have my phone, I couldn’t pretend like I was on a call or that I was texting (which is what I do 99% of the time). Therefore, I was forced to lock eyes with people I did and didn’t want to see. I guess this aspect helped me get over my social awkwardness.
3) Stress exists SO much less.
When I wasn’t checking my emails or texts, I suddenly felt so much less stressed. I never realized how much this constant attention to the phone messes with my emotions, and how controlling it can be. I felt more care free than ever, and felt like I interacted with other people much more than I would have if I had a phone.
4) People post way too much on social media.
It was impossible for me to even think about catching up on all of the social media I had missed. Although I felt a little out of the loop, it made me realize how dependent we are on social media, and how much people feel the urge to post constantly. From Instagram to Snapchat, it was out of the question for me to catch up due to the volume of posts, but I was perfectly ok with that. I didn’t feel the need to see everything I missed, because I started to value actual interaction more versus social media interaction. Even when I was walking, I noticed how much people were glued to their phones. Almost every person I walked past was looking at their phone, or at least had it in their hand. As a generation, we’re addicted.
5) Intentionally cutting a phone out of your life is necessary every once in a while.
From all of the different experiences and interactions I had without my phone, I hope that I can cut it out of my life more often or at least reduce my usage. Although it was difficult waking up in the morning without a phone alarm or keeping in contact with others, it is so easy to reduce the amount of time you spend on your phone. I felt so much better and relaxed without it once I started getting used to the idea of not having a phone. My advice: take tiny steps to reduce usage. Maybe only use an app once a day, or limit the amount of times you check Facebook or Instagram- it’s up to you!
Yes, phones are vital today in society. I did miss my phone multiple times during my week without it. And embarrassingly enough, I did struggle to readjust myself at first and opted to check Instagram off of my friend’s phones. But overall, it was an incredible learning experience. I encourage you all to get off your phones, and enjoy life a little bit more.