“Hey girl! How was your French test?” I greeted my friend, running into her on Central Grounds. We had chatted for a few minutes before I remembered I needed to get to class. “What time is it?” I nervously asked. Giving me a weird look, she glanced down at her phone. “11:55,” she replied. Since my class started at noon, I quickly said goodbye to her and ran to class.
If I had enough time, I would have explained to her why I could not simply check the time myself: it was my day without screens. That meant I could not use my cell phone, go on my computer or watch TV for 24 hours.
Though this assignment allowed me to use screens for necessary academic or job purposes, it required me to restart my 24 hours if I ever slipped up and used them for other things. I did not expect this to be a major challenge for me; I am not addicted to social media and have too much homework to watch Netflix regularly. However, as I went through an entire day without my phone, I ran into more inconveniences than expected.
In addition to not knowing what time it was, I was not able to check my phone to see when the bus was coming. While I knew that a University bus would be coming near me not too long after my French class, I had completely forgotten I also needed to take a Charlottesville bus to the grocery store later that day. I was tempted to walk there, but I assumed the bus was coming soon since another student was waiting at the stop when I got there. Although I was probably waiting there for no more than 15 minutes, it felt like much longer without having something to keep track of the time or entertain me.
Perhaps the biggest inconvenience I faced during this assignment was not being able to get in contact with my friends. I had tried to plan around this by telling my friend to meet me at a certain time to go to the grocery store; however, when she did not show up, it was difficult to decide how long I should have waited for her. I had no idea if she was able to come anymore or if she was just running late. When I returned from the grocery store, one of my roommates told me that my friend had come by looking for me. Again, I had no way to tell where she was. She could have been still in Lambeth, or she could have gone somewhere else. To make things easier, I decided to simply call her after midnight, when my twenty-four hours would end.
Despite these difficulties, I experienced several positive effects during my assignment. Because I was not able to listen to music on my phone while walking to class, I observed the world around me. As I gazed at the clear, blue sky and the beautiful columns surrounding Lambeth Field, I felt very relaxed and at peace. Without having my phone to distract me, I also was able to do my homework more efficiently. While I had only finished a few pages of reading the last time I did homework, this time I almost finished a whole chapter.
Finally and most importantly, not using my phone forced me to give the friends I hung out with later that night my undivided attention. Seeing so many students around me walking together, yet consumed by their smartphones, made me realize how easy it is for us to close ourselves off. Even if we are with our friends, we may not truly be there in the moment with them.
Though this assignment revealed to me several of the negative ways cell phones have affected our lives, it did not make me want to throw my phone away. I still believe cell phones are essential for communication and staying updated.
Cell phones also give us a break from our busy, stressful lives; however, we should be able to put them away for at least a few hours, if not a whole day. This not only helps us concentrate on our homework and spend quality time with our friends, but also helps us to be conscious of the world around us. Therefore, I encourage all students to take up the challenge to not use their phones, as well as their computers and TVs for 24 hours. Though the day will not be easy, it will reveal what you truly need to be connected to. Whether a day without screens encourages you to talk to more people or to walk around and enjoy nature, there is good in being disconnected.
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