Being born in a technological-driven era has shaped who I am today and how I experience the world. It has influenced almost every aspect of my life, whether it be how I connect with friends and family or how I study in school. Social media is now the way to keep updated with the world around you and maintain connections despite where you are in the world. Your iPhone is now more than just a way to make calls and texts but rather a way to pass time through games and browsing apps or a way to get around places where unfamiliar with through maps.

In my senior year in high school, I travelled to Europe with my family for two weeks. Within these two weeks I was really able to disconnect from social media and my phone and take in all the culture and beauty that Europe had to offer. I connected with my family more than ever and got even closer to my brother and cousins. I was no longer distracted by Instagram or Snapchat which allowed me to roam the streets of Paris and London and observe my surroundings and the people around me. I learned more about the cultural differences between Europeans and Americans and the different customs each country has regarding how they say hello, talk to tourists, and even train and subway etiquette. This experience exposed me to a new world that I really knew nothing about and opened my eyes to the possibility of travel and how much someone could learn from spending time away from their phone and taking in their surroundings. I fell in love with Europe and felt like I didn’t need my phone and social media to keep me distracted or busy since there was so much to do.

Despite letting go of technology for a couple weeks I also learned to appreciate the beauty of it and how it is easily taken for granted. Being thousands of miles from my friends and other family I felt disconnected from them. My phone gave me the option to contact my friends who were on the other side of the world whenever internet was available. Being able to get a few words to them now and again made me appreciate how much technology has evolved. I was able to share my experience to the people I knew back home and keep in touch with my loved ones. Things like Google Maps and Yelp were also essential in having a successful and safe trip. Although the phones and wifi can be over-consuming it is essential in some way regarding travel. It allowed me to safely reach locations as well as find all the good spots to eat and explore different areas and nuances of each city I visited.

All in all, I now realize that it’s important to take breaks from technology and focus on my surroundings. Personally, I know I would never be able to completely let go of technology but separating myself now and then is a refreshing experience that I hope to do more often.