I have had a basic keyboard cell phone for the last two years after an unfortunate incident in which my iPhone 4s was fatally wounded in a car accident (okay, so I ran it over). While I will not lie and pretend that I do not frequently complain about not having instant Internet access whenever I want, or that I do not actively plan out my budget in order to save up for another smartphone in the future, I will say that despite their bad reputation, "dumb" phones definitely have some perks!

Photo via Vita Student

Although having a GPS built into a phone is an incredibly useful feature of smartphones, traveling without a GPS means that I have learned to be a cautious, aware driver. Taking directions from a piece of paper means that I have learned to be more vigilant in reading road signs and recognizing travel markers. If you're used to just using a GPS, you may become too reliant on it and be totally S.O.L. without it.

Not having instant access to the Internet is a bummer most of the time, especially when your friends seem to constantly check their social media, look up funny cat videos or play games with their apps. It can make a girl feel left out when your phone can only receive calls and texts (sometimes not even group messages---yikes). However, not having the Internet constantly at your fingertips means that you are forced to actually look up and experience the world around you. After losing my iPhone, I felt that I was much more present when hanging out with friends and having fun than when I was more focused on chronicling everything instead of just doing it.

Photo via PopSugar

Lastly, having a basic phone means that texting can sometimes be a bit tricky since it can take longer to type out your messages, group messages or picture messages are awkwardly formatted, and you don't have emoticons---unless you type them out ;) Although this can be a pain, it helps limit the time you spend texting and hopefully increases your time having real conversation. Whether this means giving someone a call or asking to meet up in person. If it takes too much trouble to text, maybe that conversation is better had in person, anyway.

In general, I still really want to upgrade to a smartphone again (because they are just fun toys), but I have come to appreciate the benefits of having a basic phone again. Basic phones promote self-involvement in our environments, and in relationships, in a way that smartphones detract from them. So I will most likely get a smartphone again, but I will enjoy the time I have with my little basic phone while I still have it!