Don’t get me wrong, technology can be great. The fact that I can get an journal article about healthcare systems in Bali that was written in Spain to my laptop in about .03 seconds is, for lack of a better term, spectacular. We are able to literally see the inside of our bodies, and we can share ideas from all over the globe. Technology has made the world an infinitely better place.
Or has it?
With all this advancement in technology, it seems we’ve forgotten one critical thing: being here now. Have you noticed at pregames, lunches, or just hanging out with friends that EVERYONE is on his or her phone or laptop? The room is completely silent, save for the one girl whose phone isn’t on vibrate. No conversations, no laughing–just people reading about what everyone else is doing on Twitter or Facebook. We’re so preoccupied with finding out what everyone else is doing that we tend to ignore those around us. How…sad.
It seems as if everyone is so busy telling everyone else about their own experiences that they are not fully experiencing anything themselves. Why do we need to live-tweet a wedding? Shouldn’t we just live the actual wedding? I’m assuming since you’re in attendance, you actually care about the bride and groom. How bad will you feel when you miss them slicing the cake or tossing bouquet because you were preoccupied with your Facebook status? There are countless moments and memories missed because we’re so obsessed with our social media worlds.
Next time you’re walking to class, don’t walk with your head down as you scroll through Instagram. Instead, look around at your surroundings and maybe even say hello to a passerby. At your next pregame, demand that everyone put his or her phone face down on a table and away from the group. We only have so much time together, so why do we waste it staring at a screen instead of laughing, talking, and creating memories? Not to mention, it is just plain rude to not listen to someone because you are too engaged with your phone to answer his or her question or listen to his or her story. If you can’t give your full, undivided attention to someone for five minutes, can you really call that person your friend? Or sister?
We will experience many changes in our lifetime: growing up, graduating, getting our first job, falling in love, getting fired from our first job, the list goes on. If we live our lives on cruise control, ignoring the important things for social media and technology, we’re going to not only miss the most important moments of our lives, but we won’t truly remember them either. It’s too easy to get lost in the world of Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram–we get caught up in the distractions and drama that these worlds bring us.
Here’s my solution: put down the phone and be here now.
Nice Move239
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Hakuna Moscato
Hakuna Moscato (@HakunaMoscato) is a contributing writer for Total Sorority Move. and Post Grad Problems. A born and raised Maryland girl, she's obsessed with the Baltimore Ravens, Old Bay, and anything that has the Maryland flag pattern on it. She's a newly retired student-athlete and sorority girl, but not quite ready to call herself an adult, especially since she still has to be carried out of bars. With a Long Island in hand, she's ready for whatever life is throwing her way. Maybe.
@HakunaMoscato
