Published by Erin Golden.
Today I stumbled across this quote from Jeremy Glass:
“We can’t jump off bridges anymore because our iPhones will get ruined. We can’t take skinny dips in the ocean, because there’s no service on the beach and adventures aren’t real unless they’re on Instagram. Technology has doomed the spontaneity of adventure and we’re helping destroy it every time we Google, check-in, and hashtag.” – Jeremy Glass.
At first, I had to recognize the irony as I was reading this on one of my many social media outlets. Second, I had to recognize its truth.
Now don’t get me wrong, if anyone out there is a social media lover, it’s me. I’m a journalism major who wants to focus on public and media relations… a.k.a. I want to make social media my career. I strongly believe that technology and the fact that most of the world is “plugged in” all the time makes us more informed and aware of the world.
However I did consider what Mr. Glass had to say about technology dooming the spontaneity of adventure. The most recent adventure that I’ve had in my life was my three months spent in Spain. Most of the time, we weren’t able to access our Twitter newsfeeds or our Instagram filters whenever we wanted. When we finally would encounter a place that had WiFi, it was like we all disappeared for a second into our phones – uploading our recent pictures or sending messages back to family and friends via Facebook. A couple times I swear we had to snap each other out of our trances and remind each other that we were in some of the most beautiful places we’d ever be in our lives – GET OFF OF YOUR PHONE AND LOOK AROUND YOU, we’d have to remind ourselves.
So instead of getting lost in our phones, we decided to get lost in Spain. In fact, the most beautiful place I encountered abroad was because I lifted my head from my twitter feed and wandered off without Apple Maps or any other GPS app. Crazy, right?! Getting lost doesn’t always have to be a bad thing, and I think everyone needs to get lost a little bit more these days. It means finding your way, relying on yourself and others, and being able to give yourself a pat on the back when you find what you’re looking for.
This idea doesn’t only have to apply to study abroad trips in foreign countries. I’ve found that sometimes I’m missing out on family time or seeing something beautiful because my nose is basically touching my phone screen. I’ve even seen people run into things (poles, doors, etc.) because they were texting or refreshing Facebook. On a college campus, this is “normal.” But once you step outside of your college-kid bubble and travel across an ocean or across the world, you might just realize that landscapes and cathedrals look more beautiful up-close than through your iPhone’s camera.
I know, I know, we are the social media generation. Our cell phones are permanently attached to our hands and separation causes anxiety. But I’m telling you, set your phone down. Turn if off even (I know, this is craziness). Look around you. Interact with your friends instead of tweeting at them. Call your mom on the phone to hear her voice instead of just sending a text. Life is so beautiful, and so short. Enjoy every second of it. No Instagram filter needed.
Featured Image via Pexels
