Most of us know the feeling when we buy something brand spanking new.

It was roughly 3 years ago (wow) since I bought the laptop I'm typing on now. Since then, my attitude towards it has changed. Here are the four phases we go through after buying something new.

1) The Delivery.

The day has finally arrived! The time between the transaction and the arrival of your new item could not have been more agonizing. Out of the jealousy/yearning induced by other owners of your desired item, you have finally bit the bullet and now have your new purchase in your arms. You hold it, caress it, smell it even (don't deny it). The moment is sweeter if you don't have buyer's remorse. You inspect everything about your item and play with it to your heart's content.

2) The Coddling/Protection Phase.

After a couple days, you tend to be mindful of everything and everyone around your precious new item. For example, a couple of weeks after I got my laptop, my mom tripped over the charging cord and the laptop fell to the ground. A couple of dings and scratches got on it. I was completely livid in the situation, even though I knew it was an accident. When my brother visited one year, he wanted to use my laptop, so I asked if he could wipe his fingers first; I didn't want to get any oily fingerprints on it. I don't care about the scratches or oil marks now, which brings me to my next phase...

3) The Independence.

After a while, you get to be more comfortable around your not-so-new-anymore item. You stop worrying so much about its condition, and know that it's durable. You know it's tough when it still functions despite its dings and scratches. You stop checking up on the item, or at least not as frequently as day one. I haven't checked the condition of my laptop in months (maybe that's a bad thing).

4) The Empty Nest.

The time has come. You no longer worry about the condition of your item. It's not that you couldn't care less, it's just that you have grown so accustomed to it that you know it's going to be fine (until you buy another new thing). But remember, after lots of work it's important to (wait for it...)