Technology and Me: A Love Hate Relationship
I am, per my biography, a 19-year-old college student in 2021. I currently own an iPhone, a MacBook, a tablet, an Apple Watch and have recently ordered a google home device... so I suppose you could say I live a life that is extremely centered around technology.
My relationship with technology has its ups and downs and I often question whether or not it is a healthy or unhealthy relationship.
I'd like to say that my relationship with technology is healthy because I know when I've had too much time staring at a screen. Technology is also extremely beneficial to me. My laptop helps me get all of my school work done on all of the digital platforms we use now due to the pandemic and I can use it to search for new things or resources for projects online which informs me about new topics and gives me the latest facts about what's going on in the world around me. My phone keeps me in touch with friends, family and other loved ones and I can take my tablet with me on the go as an easy way to take notes without all of the extra paper. But to say that this is all there is to my relationship with technology would not be true. Trying to figure out if my relationship with technology is healthy or not, is NOT as simple as it seems.
In short, if I had to decide whether my relationship with technology overall was healthy or unhealthy, I'd have to say it is fairly unhealthy and I may even go as far as saying that I am a technology addict whose phone never leaves their hand. As much as I try to deny it, and as much as technology benefits me in many aspects of my life, it is holding me back from so much. having a phone in my face all the time has made me forget how to truly appreciate the things and the people around me. Not every moment needs a selfie or a video to post to instagram or snapchat. sometimes memories are simply the things you remember and I hope that I can learn to keep technology out of the picture when it come to my important moment such as time spent with friends I don't see that often or at dinner with my family. Technology can only take over ones life if they allow it to and I refuse to let technology take me away from anymore of the amazing things going on in the real world rather that the small one I've created on my devices.
Addictions to technology have become a normalized phenomenon in today's society. This is unfortunate and it deeply concerns me because I feel as though life would be just as, if not more, enjoyable without it. There would also be many benefits to everyone decreasing their careless use of technology. Here are the Top 3
#1 The Online FootPrint
Fun Fact, everything we tweet, snap, or post to our online profiles is there forever, even if we delete it. When you apply for a job, that random late night post about how you called out sick from work to sleep in will be one of the things your then not-so-potential employer will see. Not going to technology for every little moment could significantly decrease and negativity you could possibly be leaving online.
Luckily, I don't post to my social medias much. When I do it's typically a picture of my dogs, my family or a random quote I feel inspires by so, not much to judge there. But if I were to post a long rant about an extremely controversial topic on Facebook tomorrow and then delete it after many people have seen it or possibly even screens hotted it, that would live on the internet forever and my future employers would not be please, especially in the journalism industry. This is why it's important to keeps track of what you're putting on the internet.
#2 Privacy Concerns
while social media is a very easy and convenient way to keep up with friends and share posts from time to time, it requires you to give up a lot of privacy. think about it, just signing up requires your phone number and your email. Taking a break from social media would make the companies which track your likes, posts and other interests to make you "for you page" or instagram feeds cater to you specifically, stop paying so much attention for a while and let you take some of your privacy back.
I realized that when I stopped using social media even for a week, I stopped getting spa many random emails and pop-ups on my internets browsers from things I looked up on instagram. It was quite the relief.
#3 Reconnect With REALITY
taking a step back from technology give you an opportunity to reconnect with your surroundings. whether it be nature, friends, family or pets, taking a break from your screen can uplift you and make your overall mood much better. You can relearn how to connect with others face-to-face, rather than through a screen. It give you an opportunity to live in the moment, in your own moment rather than scrolling through a feed looking at everyone else's or feeling the need to share yours. A social media/ technology "detox" is extremely beneficial and can help you take your mind and your life back from your devices.
This is something I plan on working on to improve my relationship with technology and I encourage other people, especially college students to do the same before technology begins to completely control your life.
