Molly Carlson
Juniper Ellis
Lit Class
iExamen 1
September 25, 2013
Unplugged
I should preface this account of my "unplugged" experience by saying that I live on my phone.
Always. I'm one of those people who wakes up and immediately checks her phone, and I have been
for a very long time. In many ways my constant use makes sense; my phone doubles as an alarm
clock, day planner, camera, and encyclopedia. I also have access to my school files, various email
accounts, and google, which means that I've grown accustomed to a very short wait time between
"what did I have for homework?" and access to the information.
That being said, I was surprised by how easily I stayed away from my phone this afternoon. I'd
joked and stowed my electronic devices away in an almost comical fashion--iPhone piled on top with
the countdown flashing across its screen. The first few minutes were, as I'd expected, fairly easy. I
made my bed, cleaned up in the kitchen, and sat down to talk to a few of my roommates. My resolve
was challenged for the first time about a half hour into my sentence when one of my roommates ran--
screaming--into the living room and announced that a wasp was in the apartment.
I was the only one in the room.
Her phone was in the room with the wasp.
She's allergic to bees.
After a daring rescue mission--on which Kat successfully retrieved her phone so that we could
send out an SOS--we set out to find an executioner for the unsuspecting wasp. Our RA was soon
selected, and let's just say that when she was sent into that room she made quick work of the little
bugger.
I spent my next twenty minutes painting green chevron stripes onto a canvas board and watching
NCIS. I didn't even glance in my phone's general direction. The saying "out of sight; out of mind"
seems an appropriate description of my attitude at that point. The only problem was that while I was
happily painting my phone was buzzing away and I was missing important phone calls from my
doctor. I'd forgotten about my appointment because the reminder hadn't come up on my phone. (The
buzzing did eventually catch my attention, and I rescheduled the appointment.)
I learned some important things when I turned my phone off, and although I know the purpose of
the assignment was to analyze the way in which we communicate with others, I think i might have
learned a whole lot more about myself. You see, I'd been meaning to paint that canvas since the day I
got here. It has been staring blankly at me for weeks now, and it wasn't until I put down my phone
long enough to consider other afternoon activities that I actually pulled out my paintbrush and got to
work. The whole thing might sound silly to most people, but I think that today I realized that some of
the things I rely on most to be productive are also holding me back.
I might just unplug again sometime.
Always. I'm one of those people who wakes up and immediately checks her phone, and I have been
for a very long time. In many ways my constant use makes sense; my phone doubles as an alarm
clock, day planner, camera, and encyclopedia. I also have access to my school files, various email
accounts, and google, which means that I've grown accustomed to a very short wait time between
"what did I have for homework?" and access to the information.
That being said, I was surprised by how easily I stayed away from my phone this afternoon. I'd
joked and stowed my electronic devices away in an almost comical fashion--iPhone piled on top with
the countdown flashing across its screen. The first few minutes were, as I'd expected, fairly easy. I
made my bed, cleaned up in the kitchen, and sat down to talk to a few of my roommates. My resolve
was challenged for the first time about a half hour into my sentence when one of my roommates ran--
screaming--into the living room and announced that a wasp was in the apartment.
I was the only one in the room.
Her phone was in the room with the wasp.
She's allergic to bees.
After a daring rescue mission--on which Kat successfully retrieved her phone so that we could
send out an SOS--we set out to find an executioner for the unsuspecting wasp. Our RA was soon
selected, and let's just say that when she was sent into that room she made quick work of the little
bugger.
I spent my next twenty minutes painting green chevron stripes onto a canvas board and watching
NCIS. I didn't even glance in my phone's general direction. The saying "out of sight; out of mind"
seems an appropriate description of my attitude at that point. The only problem was that while I was
happily painting my phone was buzzing away and I was missing important phone calls from my
doctor. I'd forgotten about my appointment because the reminder hadn't come up on my phone. (The
buzzing did eventually catch my attention, and I rescheduled the appointment.)
I learned some important things when I turned my phone off, and although I know the purpose of
the assignment was to analyze the way in which we communicate with others, I think i might have
learned a whole lot more about myself. You see, I'd been meaning to paint that canvas since the day I
got here. It has been staring blankly at me for weeks now, and it wasn't until I put down my phone
long enough to consider other afternoon activities that I actually pulled out my paintbrush and got to
work. The whole thing might sound silly to most people, but I think that today I realized that some of
the things I rely on most to be productive are also holding me back.
I might just unplug again sometime.
No comments:
Post a Comment