Many studies call us millennials, cellphone junkies — obsessed with selfies and likes.
There’s even a term for smartphone addiction: “Nomophobia,” or the fear of being without a cellphone.
And millennials stand out from older generations for their technology adoption and use, according to a 2018 Pew Research Center study.
Just last year, Apple introduced Screen Time on iOS 12 to help users understand how much time they spend on their devices and help manage screen time limits.
My weekly screen time averages 12 hours and 11 minutes.
You know smartphone addiction is a legitimate problem when a company rolls out a tool to help users manage their time spent on their devices.
#FirstWorldProblems, amirite?
Yes, it’s true. My generation mostly communicates through text messages, email and social media.
Call me old-fashioned, but I still prefer talking on the phone (my thumbs hurt from texting). I usually stay connected to my friends through social media, finding out what they’re up to through Instagram stories and Facebook posts.
A few months ago, my friends suggested spending a weekend camping on Oahu’s North Shore.
Why not?
Maybe it was time for a digital detox.
When you’re camping, there’s no “charging station” to plug in your phone. No Wi-Fi connection to stream movies on your iPad. Room service? Fuhgeddaboudit.
I never thought of myself as an outdoorsy person, even though I enjoy the occasional hiking trail.
However, I fell in love with camping a year ago. My friends and I camped out on the west side of Kauai.
The cellphone reception was so poor there, I couldn’t check my email, social media accounts or even make a phone call. If our rental car broke down, we’d be out of luck.
Camping forced me to spend more time with my friends minus the distractions of modern technology.
This time around, I wanted to get my own tent. I quickly discovered camping tents are a seasonal item in Hawaii, so they’re not always available on store shelves. After an unsuccessful hunt at multiple stores, I found one at Walmart. I purchased a three-person dome tent for about $30. I was so stoked.
This one was mine to keep.
Future goal: Camping at a national park.
In March, my two girlfriends and I headed to the North Shore and pitched our tents at Malaekahana Beach Campground.
We reconnected with nature, savoring the serene beach views and avoiding the hungry mosquitoes.
For the most part, it was a relief to unplug.
We talked story for hours over the campfire.
We stayed up past midnight and admired the glowing stars in the night sky.
We fell asleep to the sounds of the waves crashing onto the shore.
We woke up early to watch the sunrise (thanks to the crowing roosters).
We snapped a few photos of ourselves at the campsite.
Both of my friends immediately posted their photos to Instagram. #happycampers #girlstrip #getoutside #sundayfunday #luckywelivehawaii
Of course, they tagged me on Instagram. I couldn’t resist the urge to check their posts.
*Tap the like button*
Ugh.
Well, so much for unplugging.
“She Speaks” is a column by women writers of the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Reach Diane S. W. Lee at dlee@staradvertiser.com.
