WHY NO WIFI?

   

     On Saturday, April 21, 2018, my middle school nightmare came true: my wifi router broke. The bridge that kept me connected to my peers was broken and the means of staying socially “in the loop” was terminated. If I am being honest, the lack of internet connection in my home was more of an inconvenience than a tragedy.

     To say the least, the lack of wifi in my house was quite annoying. Because I find keeping track of flash drives to be a hassle, Google Docs is my best friend. Most of my homework is stored in Google Docs, and the lack of internet made utilizing this tool more challenging than helpful. I could no longer search up an AP bio question I could not find in my textbook. I could no longer reach Mr. Griffin’s website or Mr. Masincupp’s Google Classroom with the click of a button. I dusted off my scientific calculator for Desmos was temporarily unreachable. Because my printer is wireless and dependent on internet connection, transforming my digital homework into a physical copy involved a flash drive, two computers, a cord, and a new ink cartridge. Uploading my media blogs was like jumping through an obstacle course. To say the least, I realized how much I depend on the internet connection to complete daily tasks such as homework.

     However, the internet-less house proved to be a blessing in disguise. I found that during this week, I spent less time on social media. Since wifi was no longer at my disposal, I was forced to sacrifice my data if I wanted to check my social media triple threat (Instagram, Snapchat, and youtube). Because of this, the amount of time I spent on these apps significantly decreased. I no longer scrolled aimlessly through Instagram’s explore page. I didn’t jump from one youtube video to the next. And I no longer repeatedly tapped through my Snapchat stories. Yes, there were times in which I wanted to scroll through my Instagram feed, check up on the celebrities I added on Snapchat, or catch up on my youtube subscriptions, but the lack of wifi in my house forced me to be more time efficient.

     Did I rejoice when my internet was fixed? Yes. Was I a little saddened when it returned? Absolutely. I knew that having a new wifi router would drag me into a world I had momentarily escaped from. A world full of unreachable expectations, lies, and wasted time. Would I be okay if I had to give up the internet for a little longer? Definitely. I feel that this experience was one that was surprisingly positive. Though I may sound slightly dramatic, this is an experience that everyone can benefit from. Perhaps unplugging your router is a little extreme (wifi is a helpful tool in completing monstrous amounts of HISP homework we are assigned). Just like our physical health is important, our mental and emotional health is crucial as well. A “social media cleanse” is a healthy diet everyone’s mind, body, and soul could use every once in a while.