Unplugged: The Struggle Against an Addiction to Technology

Alexandria Manion
Delta Zeta

This past November, my ever-faithful two-year Verizon contract with my flip phone finally came to an end. Naturally, I did what every other person does these days when his or her contract expires… I joined the iPhone club. Yes, I now have Siri to remind me when my Odyssey stories are due and tell me what the weather will be like tomorrow. Despite this fact, I tend to find Siri more entertaining than useful (Have you ever asked Siri how many licks it takes to get to the center of a tootsie pop? Her answer is quite amusing.)

It didn’t take long for me to realize why all of my friends were constantly checking their emails, Facebook pages and tweeting all the time. This iPhone is addicting. Over the past few months, I haven’t been able to put the thing down for more than two minutes. It’s almost as if it's sitting there calling my name…

“Ali, you might have gotten a new email in the last five minutes since you’ve last checked your inbox.” “Ali, Mom just got a triple word score on Words with Friends. It’s your turn!” Also, please don’t even ask me about the Pinterest app. That’s a story for another day.

It wasn’t until recently that I decided to admit my newfound problem: I’m addicted to my iPhone. Admitting you have a problem is the first step, right?

I then realized how much we rely on our smart phones. Email. Score updates. To-do lists. Driving directions. World peace. The smart phone has it covered.

Basically, having and using a smart phone boils down to one word: convenience. It is so easy to pull up that Weather Channel app to see how cold it is outside as opposed to putting on your shoes and walking out the front door to see for yourself. What would we do without our smartphones if we got lost on a road trip? Isn’t it much easier to text Mom (or tell Siri to text Mom) when you are on your way home as opposed to calling her and letting her know in person?

In my pre-iPhone days, I felt lost in society. Between all the potential Beluga and GroupMe groups I was supposed to join for various class group projects and sorority happenings, the instant email alerts and everything else, I felt as though my flip phone just wasn’t cutting it. I had to have an iPhone to stay connected with everyone. I felt like I was missing out. Now that I have my iPhone I have to ask myself, am I too connected?

It’s not just our smartphones. Do you freak out when your house is dead silent? As in, the TV isn’t murmuring in the background? Do you spend countless hours on your laptop looking at Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter every night before you go to bed?

While I will be the first to admit how convenient it is to have an iPhone and laptop, I think it’s time I make an attempt to cut back on my technological addiction.

Consequently, the trend of staying “unplugged” is starting to take hold. A recent segment on NBC’s “The Today Show” listed various vacation resorts across the country that embrace the unplugged lifestyle. That means no TV, no WiFi and no cell phones allowed. This sounds like a true vacation and break from reality, if you ask me.

Even though we may not be heading to a secluded resort where cell phones are banned, maybe we should try putting our phones away in certain situations or for a certain amount of time each day.

Think about it. When you go see a movie in theaters, aren’t you planning on immersing yourself in the story or spending time with the person who comes with you? If so, then why do some people still find it necessary to seemingly text everyone on their contact list throughout the entire film?

As college students, we find it much easier to use text messaging rather than calling someone on the phone or talking to them in person. Text messages and emails are  the norm. This leads me to believe that our communication skills may begin to falter. Our generation and the generation that follows are bound to face difficulties in communicating with potential employers, colleagues and professors in person if we are so used to text messages and emails as a means of communication.

We live in an age where technology is the driving force of society. From smartphones to computers to television, this notion is not hard to ignore. We can’t stop innovation, and we shouldn’t stop innovation. However, if we take technology, use it in moderation and not forget the value of interpersonal communication, we will be able to handle the next big technological breakthrough that comes along.

I challenge you to join me in my New Year's resolution for 2012. Let’s vow to be more conscious of how much we use technology throughout the day. Let’s refrain from bringing our phones to the dinner table, turn off the TV and shut down our computers for just an hour each day. We might be amazed at how much free time we may make and how much fun it is to have a real conversation with our friends and family.