This should have been no big deal, right? Not too long ago, no one carried phones around and the world continued to function. I know that I don't use my phone for as many things as some; I do still keep a paper calendar. However, I am more tethered to it than I wish I was. Just how much so became painfully obvious today.
Here are all the things that ran through my mind today as I made peace with the fact that I would be phone-less
- What if a student texts me regarding class? If I don't respond, they will think that I am ignoring them.
- I won't have my clock.
- I won't have a metronome.
- I can't check my email.
- I can't take roll in class.
- I won't get the text alert if we have "an incident" on campus.
- I'll have to walk home without being able to call for help if anything should happen.
- I won't be able to talk to Weber at lunch.
How ridiculous are all these concerns?? Well, except maybe the one about campus emergency alerts. I am embarrassed to admit that these were real thoughts for me today. And to top it all off, this thought also crossed my mind, "Boy am I glad that I don't use Apple Pay at Subway on campus. At least I can still get a diet coke!"
As it turned out, when I got home and was reunited with my phone, I had had a text from a student saying that he wouldn't be in class and asking for assignments. He is a student who is never absent and I was a little worried when he was not in class this morning. I apologized for not responding sooner. I think I was more concerned about that than he was. Other than that, I managed just fine. Today made me think about the fact that I rely too heavily on my phone for way too many things. I have definitely been left with some food for thought.
Since we missed our midday conversation, Weber and I shared our day after we got home from school
while we watched the newest resident of our backyard.
