Part 1: Going Off The Grid For 48 Hours | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Student Life

Part 1: Going Off The Grid For 48 Hours

What will happen when I go off the grid for two days?

18
Part 1: Going Off The Grid For 48 Hours
elizabethtalley.wordpress.com

Everyone today is very used to always being connected to the outside world through technology. Just going down the hallway, you will see people walking around with their eyes glued to their cell phones. Be it Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Snapchat, Spotify, Pandora, and more, they are always looking at their phones.

I've had some friends of mine tell me they sometimes go on their phone when they are caught in an awkward situation where they don't know anyone to talk to. Or, without even thinking, they will find themselves watching their friends' snap-stories instead of actually talking with them.

And that's the thing nowadays. We don't even second guess it when it comes to hopping on our technology. What used to be going out to dinner with friends turned into going out to dinner to take a picture of our food to post on Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, and Facebook before eating it. Then staring at whoever interacts with it to tell your friends what other people are commenting on the picture instead of having a conversation with them.

The new philosophical question of today's age is: if a tree falls down in the forest and no one is around to take a video of it to put on their many social media accounts, did it really happen?

Due to all of this being the reality of our lives, I am taking this chance to "go dark" for 48 hours. What that means is, I will be living like it is 1995 again. That means I will be able to use my cell for making calls. That is it. Completely off the grid.

I will not be on social media or the internet at all from Nov. 23-24.

Now, this means that I will have to do a lot of preparation:

1. I must talk with all of my bosses to let them know what I am doing, for how long and what it entails.

2. I need to talk with some co-workers at my internship to let them know that I will not be reachable by any other way than phone calls during these days.

3. I need to make sure that I have all my homework that is due on those days to be done already and submitted for grading online ahead of time.

4. I need to let my family and friend know that I will not be reachable unless they call me.

5. Set up an automatic reply for email, groupme, etc.

Some exceptions that were granted to me:

1. If I want to take pictures during Thanksgiving, I can use my cell phone camera (not Snapchat) to do so.

2. If I have big research papers that I need to do, I can use my computer for only research on the the university library database.

3. I may check my email for one hour each day.

Honestly, I am pretty excited to do this. I am guilty of some of the technological luxuries that comes with having a smart phone at all times. One thing I am nervous about is if any of the people that I am in charge of message me in GroupMe, I will not be able to message them back. Or, if I need to go to a place on Thanksgiving that I haven't been before, I can't use Google Maps to get me there (I am so bad with directions).

Otherwise, I am excited to be able to unplug for a while. All this use of technology is pretty exhausting and I think this will be a nice break from all the chatter.

Check back in next week to see how it went!

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Adulting

18 Things I Want To Do Now That I'm 18

I'm technically an adult, so I'm legally required to live a little, right?

2412
Happy Birthday Cake

For the entirety of my high school career, I was always seen as the goody-two-shoes. I never got in trouble with a teacher, I kept stellar grades, and when I wasn't doing extracurricular activities, I was at home studying. Even when I did go out, it was usually with a bunch of fellow band geeks. The night would end before 11:00 PM and the only controversial activity would be a fight based on who unfairly won a round of Apples-to-Apples when someone else clearly had a better card (I promise I'm not still holding a grudge).

Now that I'm officially an adult, I want to pursue some new things. I want to experience life in a way that I never allowed myself to do prior to entering college. These are the years that I'm supposed to embark on a journey of self-discovery, so what better way to do that than to create a bucket list?

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics

The holiday classics that shaped my life

1448
10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics
Flickr

The holiday season is full of stress, debt, and forced conversation. While we rush through the month of December, it's important to take a step back and enjoy the moments before they're gone. Most families love to watch Christmas movies, but these beloved films provide more than entertainment. Here are 10 life lessons that I've learned from the holiday classics we watch every year.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

200695
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

21214
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments