The Escape From...
2:26 PM
I’m still getting used to this whole writing-to-the-public-the-things-i-normally-dont-share-thing. Not-sure-anyone-will-even-read-this. But-it’s-fine. In general though, I’ve never considered myself very good at trying to really make people understand what im thinking; my English professors always asked me to connect my train of thought a little more. But I think that perhaps some of you might see where I’m coming from in this post, because it’s about something that we all have to put up with: social media.
My mom and I went on vacation together this past week at a resort in Mexico (Aside: I don’t want to say I vacationed in just “Mexico” because life in a resort here is drastically different from the richness the culture actually has to offer. Yes, I’m slightly bitter). I typically haul my phone along with me everywhere I go at home and the trend continues even when I’m on vacation. But as I grew more and more dependent on having my phone and posting photos and reading tweets and so on, my mom and close friends had begun to notice something: social media was making me anxious and self-conscious. Of course I denied that at first, I didn’t see anything wrong with checking to see what my friends were doing or just casually texting someone every 3 seconds. But as I gave it more consideration, I realized the habit of always being somewhere else mentally gave me a high, that in turn gave me a low when I disconnected or when I didn’t feel like anything I was doing was worth sharing. Or I felt lonely. I sort of always felt a few steps behind. It was just a game of comparison.
So as I have become more aware of the toxicity of my habit, I’m trying to implement less phone and more being present in my life. Sounds very corny and pretentious I know and I agree actually! But I didn't think that actually trying it would do me any harm. It began with just telling my friends I texted super regularly how I was trying to use my phone less, and now, on this vacation, I made a little pact to myself that I was going to stay away from my phone and I turned if off my first morning in Mexico. So far, it’s been fairly easy because not many people at this resort are on their phones constantly (including my mom) and I’ve also stuck my nose into two good books which I hope to finish by the end of the four days. It may be tougher as I go back to school where I feel like being alone is harder and even more people are on their phones. I’m also thinking about just getting a flip phone that doesn’t have a keyboard.
I feel like I’m not alone in this distaste, though. I think there is plenty reason to sort of take a second look at how dependent we are on our devices. In her book, Thrive, Arianna Huffington talks about mindfulness and even mentions a handful of super successful people who insist on tech-detox for a least a day a week. I’m also half reading (my term for a very casual relationship with a book) Aziz Ansari's Modern Romance where he talks about how kids today have the communication skills of f**ing celery stick (not actually said, but I imagine that’s implied). And I think it’s true!
I challenge you to type less and actually use your vocal cords more. And not just with people you know, but with NEW people! Actually using your words really can catch people off guard nowadays. And I also encourage you to have confidence behind what you have to say and genuinely listen to how people respond to you.
That is if you don’t get that confused “Huh?” someone mutters when they didn’t hear you because they weren’t listening because they were watching a Snapchat.
Let me know what you think.
Molly
Let me know what you think.
Molly
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