My relationship with technology has been an ongoing one that has changed throughout my life. I grew up having no internet at all, to having dial up, cd players to mp3 players, flip phones to smart phones, and etc. It was never something that I felt particullary addicted to even when facebook came around. We all went on for our alloted hour in the evening and then we were off, texting our friends and hanging out. Now, well I have just started myself on a social media detox.
I use technology for almost everything, school, family calender, work, TV, communication, promoting my business (well trying) as well as everything else we use it for. When I was working full time I relied on my cell for communication within the school as well as staying organized with google calender. Google calender has honeslty saved my sanity, it keeps myself and my husband on the same page and there is no more of, I definitely told you my parents were coming tomorrow, when he definitely didn’t. (Also spellcheck with google, as I sit here trying to spell definitely). I use my laptop everyday for school and editing photos, and sometimes house stuff because it’s just easier on a bigger screen.
Overall though, this past year on maternity leave I have found myself doom scrolling social media non stop, and all it does it makes me depressed, seeing friends hanging out, wondering why I wasn’t invited. I am the only one of my friend group with kids and it makes really hard. I got so sick of it the one night, sitting there depressed and wondering why the heck I do this to myself. I started looking at phones that are “dummy” phones that only have texting and calling, but I realized that would not work for me. So I decided to just delete facebook/ insta/ tik tok off of my home screen. They are there incase I need to go on them to see a message, or access markpetplace, but I don’t open my phone and instantly start scrolling social media. Its honestly been very refreshing, and hard but only because everyone around me dooms scrools, so I am sitting here bored and wanting to talk but everyone is nose deep into their phones.
I honestly think social media has ruined our kids childhoods, and I have no intentions of giving my kids a cellphone until like 16 or maybe older. We’ll see how that goes haha. I just can see the kids at schools have no ability to communicate and enjoy being kids when they have no phones, they don’t know how to just experience life without the lense of a camera. I think we need to get back to basics when it comes to technology and remove the addictive aspects and apps.
2 Comments
Carlos Martinez
Hey Kacey reading your blog got me thinking about the transitions I have made myself through technology as the years have gone by. From getting my first cell phone, seeing the explosion of social media as part of our lives and in the present day with AI becoming more and more a part of our daily lives. I think all of us here in university can relate to using technology for so much in our lives because honestly that is what society asks of you right now to be productive.
Could not agree more about removing the addicting aspects of apps and technology. It seems like it has gone into over drive in the last few years with everyone having phones which are connected to our watches, laptops, for some their home itself. Its crazy how all consuming it gets! some of the time I have spent in schools myself has been eye opening to see how chronically online some young kids seem to be. – Carlos
Angela Fahlman
Hi Kacey, I totally agree with you, technology has taken over our lives and our kids. I watch as my teenage daughters obsess about Snapchat maps on where their friends are and then wondering why they weren’t ask to go or why their friends are in certain places and they do it multiple times a day!! I am excited for you that you were able to delete those apps and feel better without them looming over you. I find myself just muting people that stress me out or make me upset-maybe I need to think more into putting these apps in the background of my life for a bit and seeing if it helps my wellbeing. Thank you for being open and honest about this topic and making me think about what I can do too.