On any class day you can find the Pedestrian Mall to be filled with students running to class, heads down, faces buried in their phones. You get annoyed when someone doesn’t watch where they are going and bumps into you. Angry words are exchanged or a disgusted look is shot in someone’s direction.
We often become so absorbed in what our Twitter timeline is telling us or whatever email we are pressed to answer, that we often forget to simply look up. Look up and see the diverse sea of faces, clothes, and languages around us. Look up and see our gorgeous campus and all the beauty it has to offer.
When is the last time you’ve gone sunset chasing on the top of Sustella or Oak parking deck? The memories I’ve made sharing moments with my friends on that top floor are ones I will always remember.
Have we ever stopped to think about why we struggle with human interaction; maybe it’s because we hide behind computer and phone screens every day? We can’t reach out to make those authentic connections because we are stuck behind a machine that fits in our pocket.
Next time you walk on campus, or really anywhere, take a moment to put your phone away and disconnect. After all, if you forget to look up, you might just miss something amazing!