Phones: The Addiction We Share In Common.

I remember vividly how my parents, my mom especially would consistently complain about how much time I spend on my phone. My dad only generalize myself and siblings, expressing how much he doesn't like us on our phone for too long. I think all children can relate to this issue especially the one when our mother told us that the cause of the sickness was because we spend too much time on the phone😂😂. Our parents get so concerned about our usage of phones that they try any possible means to make us see why we shouldn't be with our phones always.

I had my first good phone 2020 during COVID-19 (I have used phones but they weren't that good, always with one or 5 faults). I was not really the type that uses the phone all the time until I 2020. I had a good phone, 4gb RAM and 64gb space with sharp cameras, these specifications were top standards among androids then so it could all I wanted. Covid made me grow my relationship with my phone so much that I always have something to do on it.

It got worse when I got admission into the university. In my first year, which was 2021 February immediately after Covid: I resumed school but my school was running a virtual class during that period for students in first year to third year. So, I barely entered school area during those days (I stayed off campus). The electricity supply was steady, I always had enough data, foodstuffs was never a problem for me and I do get enough from home. With all of these, I became addicted to my phone, I didn't know how to make friends easily so I was all alone in my hostel, couldn't even initiate a conversation that would last 2 minutes with my neighbors then. Phone was my go-to guy. I was always online, I received complains from my friends till 300 level concerning how much time I stay on my phone.

As a student in my school, staying active online is very crucial to how updated you are and not missing out on vital informations. Students have missed exams and tests because they weren't online. We usually say this for fun that "you can go offline for an hour only to come back online and see that your mates have graduated". It's that serious, we rely on our phone as a source through which we get informations faster.

Fast forward to present day. I can do more than 2 hours without my phone intentionally. I have important things I do online, building my brand as a Graphic designer on X, I work online and require to be active as possible. With all these, I still find time for other important activities and responsibilities. There's more to life / reality than it is in the social media. Reality will always stick and it hits differently, social media is a good place to be but has to be timely and done wisely.

Today asides from sleeping, I've been off my phone for about 3 hours a together. I understand the urge to always want to see, watch, hear, laugh, get the latest gist. In fact, the phone has become an addiction almost every youth share in common: we always have something to do on it and we have our way of justifying our usage.

To be honest, more time and opportunities has been wasted on phone. It takes a conscious mind and deternined mind to stay off the phone for a reasonable couple of hours, the distraction is higher these days. Lots of news, update, opportunities, etc are flying and we want them all but it can be done at appropriate time. If I am not on social media, I am making design on my phone (Canva) or listening to music or I am seeing a movie.