Monday 30 April 2007

Just one more day...

This past week has been really hard and I will say something now. It has got to a point where the world has been designed around the use of your mobile phone, or it seems like that anyway.

I did have to use my phone. To let my mum know I was safe when all the southbound trains were cancelled from London Victoria last night, and when my friend needed to let me know what time she'd be arriving. It is really hard to deal with these circumstances without a phone. I tried and I did manage about 3 days without using my phone at all, but in a matter of emergency they are a necessity.

I have discovered I can have a perfectly normal social life at Uni without using MSN or my phone, because all my friends were around me, and if anything, the experience has made me more social.

So tomorrow everythings back to normal. Although this week hasn't really felt alot different.

Shel x

6 days 13 hours 40 miniutes without technological communication

Thursday 26 April 2007

Panic...

I haven't checked my Myspace in 3 days and It's now driving me mad. I must have so many messeges. I've also realised that I'm actually relieved when I start writing a post on here, because it seems like my only form of communication.

I'm going home today, immediately at the end of this lesson. I am so excited. It's my mums birthday and I really can't wait to see her. I'm seeing my little sister too, who I haven't seen in nearly two weeks. She'll be really surprised to see me.

I've realised today that this time tomorrow I'll be half way through this experiement, and it's amazing how well I've coped. The amount of things I can actually do without the use of my mobile phone, making arrangments is easier than I thought and I've actually enjoyed writing letters to my friends and family.

I'm hoping the next 4 days will go quickly though, as I really miss MSN. Despite how much work i've got done without my distractiions.

Wednesday 25 April 2007

Trapped...

I haven't touched my phone all day and I'm so proud of myself! How good am I?

I am however still feeling anxious. It's weird how you want to do something more when you can't do it. I think I'm going through withdrawal, this morning I felt crap, and all day I've been really stressed. I want to talk to my Mum so much, and have a good old moan to her about crappy assessment deadlines and the likes. But I'll just have to wait until I see her tomorrow.

Although I do not miss my phone as much as I did yesterday I'm starting to miss MSN. I use it everyday as a source to talk to my friends back home, and who live up north in Middlesbrough. I miss them alot.

Due to my lack of distractions, I finished my essay today, and I'm really happy and relieved. Usually when I finish work I'd chat my friends, or browse myspace. I'm a bit bored to be honest. Might practise some shorthand!

I decided to have a look round online for effects of instant messeging on teenagers, and other than the usual online safety etc, there was nothing. I was expecting to find hundreds of websites about teenagers becoming withdrawn, and spending all their time trapped in their room chatting to their friends on MSN (Which is pretty much all I did at the ages of 15 and 16). But I did find some interesting research results, about what teenagers most popularly use the internet for, and even more interesting is that the majority of instant messenger user are girls, as boys are too busy on their games. Typical.

Shel x

1 day 18 hours 9 minutes without technoligical communication.

Tuesday 24 April 2007

This seems impossible...

One day in and I've rudely rejected two phonecalls. It's horrible. I've had a very productive day. Had a lecture, and then made dinner, went for a walk and watched the football with the boys. But I feel like theres something missing and it's making me very uncomfortable.

I've written little letters to my friends and family today, and I'll post them tomorrow. It was hard knowing what to say at the moment, but I might write again at the weekend, as it will have been longer since I've spoken to them.

I suppose an upside of this experiment, is the amount of un-interupted time I have to get on with my work. I've done quite alot today. I've also noticed that I'm remembering alot more, such as things I have to do, which often, i'd get distracted from.

Shel x

22 hours 38 minutes without technoglical communication.

Mobile phone addiction amongst teenagers with a low self esteem?

I turned my phone on. I'm not entirely sure how to justify why I did this, other than the feeling of anxiety that I've had since I left the house at 2 o'clock this afternoon. If my phone rings I shall not answer it. But everyone who usually calls me knows of my experiment, so won't do so.

I'm trying to get myself out of the habit on constantly fiddling with my phone, incase I forget and absent mindedly dial someone. I'm not missing MSN, if anything it's a relief to be able to get on with some work, without getting disrupted. I still am not missing facebook or myspace. If I keep myself distracted with essay writing this evening I'm hoping I will not get any urges to check them at all.

I'm missing my phone the most though. I don't even think I use it as much as some people my age, but it's enough for me to miss not having it, and the thought of not being able to chat to people on the phone is making me feel a little unsettled.

I was browsing google to see what the major effects of mobile phones on teenagers are and when I found this, I actually thought it sounded a bit ridiculous upon reading for the first time. An addiction to your mobile phone? But upon reading about teenagers with low self esteem, feeling the need to be connected with people at all times, I understood. I like to know whats going on at all times, and the feeling of being out of the loop, or people forgetting to unclude you, is quite frightening. I can't wait for this week to be over.

Shel x

17 hours and 49 minutes without tehcnogical communication

The first few hours...

Upon waking up, I reached for my phone out of instinct. To call my mum and see how she was this morning and ask after my little sister. As soon as I had it in my grasp I remembered, and put it back down.

It's been like this all morning. Constantly reminding myself. But I'm doing well, I haven't caved in. This is the first time I've been online today, so the urges to check my myspace haven't yet, but I'm sure by this evening i'll want to know how many messeges I've got. But I'll just have to wait another week to find out.

Before I left the house to go up the road I switched my phone off and put it in my drawer. This is where it will stay, that way I can't see it, so I'm not tempted to use it.

Well I've got to shoot off to a shorthand lecture. I'll update you on my progress later.

Shel x

13 hrs 47 mins without technoglical communication.

Monday 23 April 2007

Slight delay...

Ok, so due to unavoidable circumstances, I've had to delay my experiement by one day.e.g. booking driving lessons and arranging an interview for my Radio assessment. Just an example of how difficult this experiment is going to be. This course, and my future career will rely on technology and communication!

So, today I rang all my family members and close friends, I explained the experiment and the rules. Many were shocked I was even attempting it, especially my best friend Tamz "Shel thats stupid!". I'm actually very nervous because I think they're all convinced I'll fail.

Speaking to my mum for the last time until I see her on Thursday (her birthday) was hard. I speak to her everyday. Until then i'll only have my friends at uni. I'm going to miss her.

My nan was surprised to hear from me, but we had a good chat. WE don't talk often, but the discussion of my experiement gave us alot more reason to talk.

For now, I'm very looking forward to going home on thursday, and as of midnight, my phone goes off.

Shel x

Thursday 19 April 2007

My Experiment

I have decided to make the brave move of giving up any form of technogical communication for a week. Once upon a time, infact not so long ago people managed without their mobile phone, and not every household had internet access. Now it is relied upon.

I remember a time when I would go round to my friends houses and knock on their door, now we just text each other. That was probably no more than 8 years ago. How times have changed.

Will I be able to go back to this lifestyle, now I am more or less reliant on technology as my main source of communication?

I spend approximately 5 hours on an average day (depending on my plans) using MSN messenger. I send about 10 - 15 texts, and I make and recieve countless phonecalls. Not to mention Facebook and Myspace, for messeging, and finding out what is going on.

The rules of my experiment will be as follows...

* No use of mobile phone, for making or receiving phonecalls, sending or recieving text messeges, except for in emergencies. I will however be allowed to use it as an alarm clock.

* I will not be able to make or recieve calls off any landline phone.

* I will not be able to use Facebook or Myspace throughout the experiment.

* Friends must not pass messeges for me that have been sent to them via text or email.

* I must not use my email.

* I cannot use messege boards.

The aim of this experiment is to see if it is possible, as a teenager, to still be able to live a normal social life, without the use of technology to make arrangments and if I appreciate this technology alot more rather than just take it for granted.

I also want to find out if not being able to talk to my friends and family on such a regular basis, will affect the way I behave in social situations. Will it change the way I talk to people, seeing as I won't be up to date on whats going on, will this make me feel left out, or give more of a talking point?

The experiment will start on Monday 23rd April and last until Sunday 29th. I am actually nervous. How will I get out of the habit of idlely playing with my phone, or signing into MSN messenger when I go online. And most of all will I be able to go a week without talking to my Mum???