I haven’t had a phone since Sept 25. I wish I could say that I had an epiphany and simply got rid of it. Sorry to disappoint, but that’s not the case. Long story short, my phone broke, I got in trouble shortly after, and it remains broken and has yet to be replaced.

Not having a phone made me realize how addicted most of us are to technology, especially phones. No matter where I am or who I’m with, there comes a point when I finally understand how my parents feel. I just sit there. Bored. While everyone else is on their phones.

For those of you who say you’re not addicted to your phones, you are. There’s nothing we fear more than being in a Wi-Fi free zone.

We’re all addicted to our phones to some degree. Even our parents.

Most parents don’t use phones for the same purpose as we do, which for the majority of us is for social media.

Parents who constantly check their email are unable to detach from work.

Our phones give us many benefits, but they also impose limitations to how we function as a society. We are so used to hiding behind our screens and acting with a fake sense of confidence.

I guarantee you we would never be able to say at least half of the things we type out or direct message to someone’s face.

Before smartphones, kids liked to play outside and interact with one another. Obviously, this is still true today. But from my own observation, the most kids I’ve seen outside at once was only because they were roaming around trying to catch Pokémon.

They were all roaming around while looking at their phones and all of a sudden they would rapidly change their direction. It looked so ridiculous.

Sure, it’s neat that there’s an app that allows people to roam around in different places all over the world and catch Pokémon, but at the same time, isn’t it simply just a waste of time?

I never thought about how much time I spent on my phone until I didn’t have one. Even though I’m not too active on social media, it still took up a good amount of my time everyday.

However, I’ve come to this “astounding” conclusion: social media is a gigantic waste of time.

We spend hours every day comparing every aspect of our lives and ourselves to other people.

Yes, I do have my school iPad to check Snapchat, but only when I have Wi-Fi. I noticed that I am so much more productive, and present in the moment than when I have my phone. In addition, I can’t text and drive, which is a much safer alternative.

Overall, I am happier without a phone. I am honestly thinking about just investing in a “mediocre” phone as opposed to a smart phone.

Once you realize how much time and energy is wasted on your phone, I’m pretty sure most of you would come to the understanding that we do not need to be so invested in this artificial lifestyle.

The more technology advances, the harder it is for us to be satisfied and amused. I know it wasn’t that long ago, but when I was a kid, I could entertain myself for hours simply by playing outside with my neighbors.

These days, kids’ idea of fun usually involves the latest Xbox or iPhone model.

I personally think it’s pathetic that 10 year-olds are walking around with a $1,000 phone. I believe my generation and the next both have a problem with understanding where money comes from, and how hard it is to make. This is a direct result of children being spoiled with all of this new technology.

Every year iPhones keep coming out because we are never satisfied with what we have. The more advancements there are, the more we push for newer innovations.

Are we ever going to be satisfied?