Power Off
October 25, 2019
From our first days of high school, or even before that, the world has literally been at our fingertips. While laptops and the internet can be put to good use, we often find ourselves needlessly and unremittingly sidetracked by devices in our backpacks and back pockets.
Despite what sometimes appears to be popular belief, the tech giants and geniuses of our day did not create personal computers to provide the ability to play Minecraft in history class or shop for dresses on Free People in English.
While all of that is all fine in moderation, it’s important to occasionally remind yourself of how much you can accomplish with a laptop. You can watch videos to learn a new language or concept and chat with friends across the world all with a few clicks. You can expand your worldview without leaving the comfort of your home — something unimaginable a few decades ago.
At the same time, for young adults in 2019, technology is becoming harder and harder to go without. We are often bombarded by emails, texts, Snapchats, Instagram posts and digital feedback at all hours of the day and night. While it may seem pressing and important to respond to this feedback at all hours, most of it is junk. It’s become more and more difficult to imagine 24 hours without tech as it is entwined in almost all aspects of our busy lives.
With this kept in mind, a simple step for teens towards less stress could be to slowly cut out tech where it is not needed. Shouldn’t it be possible for a screen to not be the last thing you see before you sleep or the first thing you wake up to in the morning. Try leaving your phone at home when you take a walk, or run to the grocery store. Though this won’t change your life drastically, you might find a little bit of refuge from the incessant roar of online noise.
