If you’re anything like me, you set a timer on your phone for 15 minutes to do this activity. I also unconsciously sent my last text messages and snapchats before setting my phone down. Normally, I actually wouldn’t have too hard of a time abstaining from technology for 15 minutes because I would gladly spend that time playing my guitar or doing homework. However, sitting in my dorm room with just my thoughts to occupy myself for this period of time proved to be a bit challenging, especially with the wonderful weather outside today.

One thing I noticed about myself was that I needed to keep my hands busy, so I started tapping on my desk and fiddling with nearby objects. I thought about what homework I had due as well as how I was going to spend the rest of my night after completing this assignment. Within minutes, I felt the urge to pick up my phone and simply just unlock it. There was that assurance that right away I would find something to do on my phone. I also wanted to check if someone was trying to reach me. It wasn’t that I desperately needed to see what someone was trying to talk to me about. Rather, I was sensitive to the person on the other end because normally I’m good at responding quickly on my phone.

Overall, I came to the conclusion that the main reason I missed my phone during those fifteen minutes was because I was stripped of all external communication. I just felt disconnected with the rest of the world knowing that everybody else had their phones during that time. When it comes to entertaining myself without my phone, I think I could handle it just fine.