I am one of those people who would not be able to live through a apocalypse (if one were ever to occur) Why? Because I would be scrambling around trying to pack away all of my electronic devices instead of grabbing food and water. This is really sad, I know. This past week, one of the worst things that could ever happen to me happened: my computer charger broke. It wasn’t even my computer! No, it was my charger. It was like some cruel joke. My computer was laughing at me while its battery slowly decreased. I was so desperate I immediately bought the cheapest charger I could buy. Until then, I could only ask to borrow a friend’s loaner computer (Thanks Alex!) until my new charger came. I annoyed my friends to no end until I finally realized how dramatic I was acting. This could be good for you, I thought. That got me thinking about the benefits of “unplugging” from technology for a while.
I know what you are thinking. “I am a college student! I cannot survive without technology. Don’t say such a thing!” Trust me, I get it. I am the person you will see staring at a computer screen for hours at a time until I am finally passed out from exhaustion with my head on my keyboard. Don’t get to that point. All I am saying is, take baby steps. After you have done your homework for the next day, try to get in the habit of not reaching for your phone. Instead of texting your friend who lives next door, go knock on their door! Say hello. Watch a movie. Invite the other people who live in your hall. Instead of hiding behind a computer screen, take that extra step of talking to someone new. That’s what makes the college experience memorable.
We get so caught up in what is “new” that we forget about living in the present. We miss important moments that we don’t realize we forgot until later. Our world is constantly changing and evolving, but that doesn’t mean we have to be caught up in that too. Take the time to step back and remember what is most important to you. Your friends. Your family. Your values and beliefs. Instead of writing your thoughts and ideas down, tell them to someone. Someone will always be there to listen.
So as I am sitting here typing this blog post, I suddenly have the urge to go outside. Yes, it is freezing cold, but the sun is finally out. Take advantage of the time you have when you aren’t using technology, and spend it with those you care about. I know I will be doing the same.
Thank you for reading! 🙂