The Age of Smartphones and How We're Missing Out on Life

Attending concerts, watching a game on tv, or going to a party. Those three things all have one big thing in common: Almost everyone there is on his or her phone. Whether it's recording their favorite band playing a live show or taking selfies with friends, our phones have begun to take over our lives. We smartphone users are missing out on important things in life because we're too busy updating our Facebook statuses or posting a picture from the party we're at on instagram. While we're busy doing those things, life seems to be passing us by.

I'm gonna tell a little story about my own personal realization that my phone was taking over my life. About a year ago, I went to a concert to go see one of my favorite bands. I couldn't believe that after so long of a time, I would actually be seeing them play in person. When they first came out on to the stage, I was freaking out. These guys are in the same building as me. Seeing these guys on tv wasn't even close to being as cool as seeing them in person. I immediately grabbed my phone to take a video of the first song, like everyone else in the crowd did. I became so obsessed with recording this concert that I wanted to get every song on my phone. I worried about my phone more than I actually paid attention to the concert.

(photo courtesy of theorange.co)

This past summer, I saw the same band again. This time, however, I realized that I didn't feel the need to record the whole concert again because they had played many of the same songs as when I saw them a year ago, give or take a few songs. I didn't take my phone out one time during that concert, but this time, I had one of the best nights of my life. I got an experience that I can't view on my phone because it's just not the same. So, next time you're thinking about reaching for that phone when something good happens, don't. Enjoy that experience and store it in your memory. Life is too short; don't miss out on it.