Hi, my name is Rachel, and I’m addicted to technology. I’m the girl who sleeps with her iPhone under her pillow and considers her laptop her most prized possession. Whether I’m checking my email, streaming a show or reading a blog, it’s rare that I’m not involved with some kind of technological device when I’m awake.

I know that I’m not alone in my addiction. Today’s generation of college students is more involved with technology than ever before, especially with the rise in popularity of social media. My peers and I feel like we constantly have to be plugged in with what’s going on and are always communicating with each other. If I were to look around in one of my college lectures, there’s a good chance I would find over half the class on Twitter, Facebook or Pinterest.

Because of the world we live in, we are used to instant access to information. I know I freak out if someone doesn’t immediately reply to my text message or answer my email. I’ll be the first to admit that I’m super impatient and hate waiting for anything. I think this stems from the fact that I rarely have to wait because I’m constantly connected.


The other day, one of the worst things that could happened to a technology addict happened to me: I forgot to bring my phone with me in the morning and was without it for an entire day. I had a minor panic attack on my way to class when I realized that I had forgotten my phone. I wondered how I was going to last an entire day without it. How would I check my email? How would I read the latest news? After panicking for about ten minutes, I decided to embrace my forgetfulness and use this day as an opportunity to unplug and simply enjoy my surroundings. 

I am happy to say that my plan worked and I ended up having a really positive experience of being without technology for an entire day. I actually looked at the beautiful trees as I walked through campus that I normally ignore because I’m staring at my phone. I realized that emails do not have to be answered within five minutes and that it is okay to make people wait for a response. Of course, at the end of the day, I was excited to be reunited with internet access, but I’m happy I learned that I can survive without it. 

Since that day, I’ve made it my mission to disconnect at least one day a week. I’ve realized that it’s good for my mind to relax for a day and not be constantly engaged with technology. I’m also trying to heavily reduce my dependency on my gadgets and limit myself to only using them for a certain amount of time each day. It’s hard, but I’m slowly making progress and truly believe that I will be a more sane and relaxed person because of it. 

Do you consider yourself a technology addict? What are some things you do to reduce your dependence on technology? Tell me in the comments below!

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