Addicted
As we rushed out of the car, my mom asked me if I had everything I whined “Yes” as if she thought I was stupid, and jumped out of the car. We boarded the shuttle bus on our way to the sunshine state. One we neared the airport, I reached for my phone to update everyone, but my pocket was empty. I shoved my hand into my backpack, nearly emptying it of its contents. Suddenly emptiness had never felt so heavy before. I soon realized I would be forced to spend a whole week with absolutely NO contact with the rest of my world. As the first few days of our vacation went by, I realized that I don’t really use my phone that much, so why did I want it so desperately? I noticed now, were like children who reach for their blankets for comfort. The only difference is that we reach for our phones. You could call it an addiction. I soon started to realize that it was difficult to function without my phone. I’ve never actually had to walk across the room to get the time, or pull out a piece of paper to take a quick note. Instead of scrolling through pictures on my phone to relieve boredom, I started to check back into reality. Coincidentally while I was writing this, a family of 3 walked in with a little boy. The parents pulled out their ipad and occupied him with a movie and games. Even I don’t get to use electronics that high tech, and I’m at least ten years older! My mom noted that it was great because it occupied the kid and save the restaurant from incessant crying, whining, and screaming. However, my dad argued that the kid won’t ever learn to entertain himself. “[Technology] is amazing isn’t it?” he concluded with a chuckle. Throughout our vacation I was fascinated at how dependent we all are on technology. It’s funny how adults complain about how the ‘Golden age of technology’ is my generations fault, but where ever I go it’s the adults that have the iphones, tablets, and fancy laptops, because of course we can’t afford them. Back to my phone dilemma. Day 2 of my vacation, I bought a new digital camera. It filled the emptiness in my pocket and relieved my need for my phone. I resorted to pressing buttons on my camera, as it brought my comfort. On the last night of our vacation, we relaxed in a starbucks filled with 14 people including myself. Only 2 of the 14 people here are not looking at screens. Those 2 people were my dad and I
Being separated from my ‘beloved’ phone made me realize how technology had become more than just a tool, but has developed into an addiction that is nearly unescapable from