I’ve had the same phone since seventh grade, I got a Facebook account last Thursday (I have 12 friends) and I lost my iPod for four months and hardly missed it. I can hear the jaws hitting the floor. I get it, the typical teen would have their iPhone surgically attached to them if they could. In fact, American teens spend an average of 16.7 hours a week on the internet according to msnbc. But I’m not the typical teen. I don’t mind taking a break from staring at my laptop’s cracked screen. There’s an upside to being compared to a caveman.
I have time to pursue my passions. With a full schedule including four honors classes and one AP class, most of my time is spent on homework. Instead of using the remainder of my time to see what Taylor Swift just tweeted, I do the things I love. I’m in the middle of writing a couple of novels and short stories, and I wouldn’t be able to focus on them if I spent all my time on Facebook. While my extensive homework load doesn’t allow for much outside reading during the school year, over the summer I read every day. I’ve read countless classics that come up often in English class. If I spent all my time using social media and other technology this wouldn’t be possible.
My relationship with my family is better than the typical technology-addicted teen as well. I actually talk to my parents, and they never have to threaten to take my phone away from me. My brother, Sam, a sixth grader at Nipher, is the polar opposite and is constantly playing video games, causing disagreements between him and our parents.
My phone doesn’t distract me during the school day either. I leave it off and I don’t have to worry about anyone texting me because my 12 friends know of my technological ineptitude. Instead of obsessing over what’s going on online, I can focus on my classes.
I do feel left out sometimes. I’m never aware of the newest viral video or the funniest new tweet. However, my phone works, I don’t need Facebook to tell me who my friends are and I found my iPod. That’s good enough for me.
The benefits of living in the Stone Age
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