Once upon a time I went to California and it was awesome.
My phone decided that it just loved California so much that it was going to stay for an extended vacation. Much more extended than my own trip.
Yes, you heard right. I have been without my phone for about 11 days now.
How did my phone get left behind in California, a solid 12 hour drive away? Well, I certainly did not forget it... it just happend to get stuck in an unlocked house. I know, this just keeps getting more and more ridiculous. I realized that I had left my phone in the house we were staying at and luckily we had left the front door unlocked, so I went to go open it and much to my horror, the door wouldn't budge. Something was wrong with the handle and it just plain wouldn't open. We worked on it for a solid 15 minutes, with no success. So I had turn my back on my poor phone, leaving it in an unlocked house. The poor dear.
I didn't realize how much my everyday life revolves around the quick messages that phone provides to me. I am constantly talking about my plans later that day with my roommates or deciding where to meet someone or answering quick, simple questions via text. Not to mention the fact that I call my mom everyday. And my phone keeps me in contact with my lovely friends that I don't get to see very often. I bash on our culture's extreme dependence on cell phones sometimes, but let's get real, they really do help and can be a good thing. However, it's been a bit of a blessing in my life not have a phone. Though I haven't thought so the entire time.
This is my process of emotions since the loss of my phone: Frustration, Relief, Freedom, Annoyance, Irritation, Acceptance. Yes, I think that portrays exactly how the last week has gone for me.
Here are some things I've learned while I have been without a phone:
Side note -
Talking about phones just reminded me of a sweet little tune you may be familiar with (this does not actually apply to my life at this very moment in time):
Call me, beep me, if you want to reach me.
When you want to page me, it's ok.
Whenever you need me, baby
Call me, beep me, if you want to reach me.
Yes, you heard right. I have been without my phone for about 11 days now.
How did my phone get left behind in California, a solid 12 hour drive away? Well, I certainly did not forget it... it just happend to get stuck in an unlocked house. I know, this just keeps getting more and more ridiculous. I realized that I had left my phone in the house we were staying at and luckily we had left the front door unlocked, so I went to go open it and much to my horror, the door wouldn't budge. Something was wrong with the handle and it just plain wouldn't open. We worked on it for a solid 15 minutes, with no success. So I had turn my back on my poor phone, leaving it in an unlocked house. The poor dear.
I didn't realize how much my everyday life revolves around the quick messages that phone provides to me. I am constantly talking about my plans later that day with my roommates or deciding where to meet someone or answering quick, simple questions via text. Not to mention the fact that I call my mom everyday. And my phone keeps me in contact with my lovely friends that I don't get to see very often. I bash on our culture's extreme dependence on cell phones sometimes, but let's get real, they really do help and can be a good thing. However, it's been a bit of a blessing in my life not have a phone. Though I haven't thought so the entire time.
This is my process of emotions since the loss of my phone: Frustration, Relief, Freedom, Annoyance, Irritation, Acceptance. Yes, I think that portrays exactly how the last week has gone for me.
Here are some things I've learned while I have been without a phone:
- Who the most important people in my life are. Even when I don't have a phone, I still find a way to talk to the most important people.
- My roommates are amazing. They put up with my borrowing their phones all the time.
- Patience. In a world full of fast-paced, at your finger-tips information and answers, I have had to learn to be patient. When I need to ask some one something, I have to wait until the next time I see them or when they answer my email, it is not an immediate response, and it is ok.
- To listen and observe. I always call my mom when I'm walking across campus, and if I'm not talking to her, I'm probably texting someone. Not being able to do that has allowed me to enjoy the beauty that is Provo and has given me more chance to look around and better observe the fascinating people that I am surrounded by everyday.
- Facebook gets really old really fast. I've been relying a lot on fb messages to talk to people, but now I am so sick of fb. It's not even funny.
- Simplification. Technology overwhelms my life. I sit at a computer all day at work, I am always using my laptop to take notes or do assignments or catch up on tv shows or really do most anything, I listen to my iPod, I always have my phone with me. It gets to be too much sometimes. So it's been incredibly nice to take a break from at least one aspect of technology and kind of simplify my life.
- To take a deep breath. This could have been an incredibly upsetting situation to not have my phone, and at times it was, but overall I learned to just take a step back, breath, and reassess the situation and realize that it's fine. True, I don't have communication right at my finger tips at all time, but it's ok and I can make it work.
Side note -
Talking about phones just reminded me of a sweet little tune you may be familiar with (this does not actually apply to my life at this very moment in time):
Call me, beep me, if you want to reach me.
When you want to page me, it's ok.
Whenever you need me, baby
Call me, beep me, if you want to reach me.
Know what song comes in my head when I read the title of this post?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bHeD73YYyQ
Substitute the obvious keyword there.
You make me feel old!!!! First of all, what is this song???? And second of all...I didn't have a phone in college. I actually had to go all the way home to call someone. Crazy,huh? No wonder you look at me like a crazy old lady sometimes.
ReplyDelete