The Burr

story by Kristina Deckert :: photo by Dan Maxwell

My friends and family constantly yell at me for playing with my BlackBerry or looking at Facebook or updating Twitter about, well, everything. So when my editor told me she wanted me to give up all technology that wasn’t around in the mid-90s for five days, I was pretty apprehensive. But I figured I could look at it as a personal challenge — even though I knew I’d get frustrated without any means of real-time communication.

Before my break from technology

Last night was the last full night with my BlackBerry. Just for reference, my bedtime routine usually goes like this: Brush teeth. Pee. Wash face. Put on Chapstick. Get into bed. Text a friend. Check out Twitter and Facebook. Tweet something on Twitter via BlackBerry. Check CNN via BlackBerry. Fall asleep.

Not many people I know go through steps 6-9 prior to sleep. And it usually takes me about a half hour to do so. Yeah, I’ll admit it. I’m addicted … obsessed … to the point that my editor will be taking my BlackBerry, MacBook, iPod and digital camera away from me at midnight. I’ll also go without Facebook, Twitter, Gmail and my ATM card.

I expect to cry by Friday.

But maybe I’ll learn to experience life without a BlackBerry in my hand or an iPod’s earbuds in my ears. Rather than texting someone I’m not with or tweeting to the world, maybe I’ll focus on the person I’m with (or I’ll actually pay attention in class). Live in the moment, all that crap. We’ll see.

For the next five days, I’m going to be a hot, hot mess.

Day 1

All I really want is to know what time it is. I feel like I’m going to be late to every class because I don’t have a watch. Last time I wore a watch, it had the Little Mermaid on it.

And my alarm clock sucks. I used to wake up to the hot beats of Kanye West on my cell phone’s alarm. Now, a loud beeping noise harasses me until I wake up.

It’s interesting, though, because now that I don’t constantly have my head bowed, staring at my cell, I’m staring at all of Kent State walking to class. The students are a lot like I usually am — constantly texting or talking on the phone. It’s weird to watch people text. They always have goofy-ass grins on their faces as they look at their phones. It makes me want to laugh and puke at the same time.

Day 2

I have two jobs: multimedia editor for KentNewsNet.com and online editor for The Burr. I can’t exactly do my jobs if everything involved in them consists of editing audio and video and updating Facebook and Twitter. Those things weren’t around in the mid-90s. Essentially, I’ve had to quit my jobs for a few days, and, well, that’s fine by me.

I hate not being able to check the weather online. I’m not stupid enough to walk out in shorts in October, but it’d be nice to know if I should wear a sweater or my winter jacket.

Day 3

I went out last night and thought maybe, for once, I’d have my full attention on my friends and “live in the moment.” But it’s impossible when everyone else is on his or her phone and not paying attention to anything else. It annoyed me that they could use their cells and I couldn’t. So I cheated.

I borrowed a friend’s BlackBerry and checked Twitter. I knew it was against the rules, but it felt good. Really good.

Day 4 — Kent State Homecoming

Looking back, it annoys me that I couldn’t go five whole days without checking Twitter. My self-control apparently sucks. I feel bad about it, but I know myself well enough that I should’ve seen it coming.

I’m supposed to hang out with my friends all day, but I’m worried I won’t be able to get a hold of them because I don’t have a cell phone.

And I’m really sick of hanging around the newsroom where I work to use the phone. (My apartment doesn’t have a landline.)

Later …

I bought a disposable camera to take pictures at the homecoming game and other festivities. I’ve already turned it around after snapping a picture to see if the shot looks bad. I have to remember that disposable cameras aren’t equipped with a screen on the back. Half the time, I can’t even get the flash to work. But honestly, I’m sort of excited to see how these pictures turn out. It’s a sense of anticipation I haven’t had since high school. It’ll be a nice surprise to get them developed. I just hope they turn out.

TOMORROW IS MY LAST DAY!

Last day

I’m so close I can almost feel my BlackBerry’s keys under my thumbs again.

I had a meeting for the newsroom today, and I realized that Franklin Hall is locked on Sundays. With no way of calling someone to let me in, I had to pound on the window to try and get someone’s attention so I could get inside. I scared the crap out of some poor sophomore.

And just as a last note: The radio sucks. Ironically, I keep hearing bands like Backstreet Boys and Third Eye Blind … classic ’90s tunes. It’s like Northeast Ohio radio stations are torturing me, reminding me that I can’t listen to any of my favorite songs on my iPod.

The day after

It feels so nice to have my stuff back. I can actually listen to songs I want to listen to in the car, do work on my laptop from home and TEXT. God, I love to text. Also, I felt like I was wasting time on my way to classes because I couldn’t make phone calls. Now, I can get things done … but I sort of miss just relaxing and enjoying my (really long) walk to campus.

Looking back

All in all, this was a pretty enlightening experience. By Thursday, I stopped reaching for my phone in my back pocket and began doodling a lot more during class instead of playing on my BlackBerry. There were a lot of parts I hated, but I’m glad I at least tried. And I never cried! I just complained a lot.