Phone experiment: The forgotten days

The reason why I have not updated anything about my mobile phones-less days was due the simple fact that I forgot. Yes people, I forgot all about my phones. I did not think about them at all on the weekends and on Monday morning, I only thought about them for a fleeting second when I saw Steven walk past my table. I told myself, “Okay you can get your phones today. Take later lah. It can wait.”

This resulted in me walking out of the school at the end of the day without them because, yes, I forgot again. I guess I got used to not holding the Samsung Note and S3 in my hands. I got used to using my watch to find out the time and I got used to having my mom wake me up in the morning. It says a lot about how much those things really mean to me eh? *chuckles*

Now, why did I not extend the challenge to a week or even more, you say? Well, the people around me hated it. I got scolded by my friends for not being easily contactable (you do know we don’t really call each other very often, right babes?), I got ‘tsked’ at by my boss and colleague because they won’t send me Facebook messages and a few of my students begged me to get my phones back so they can call me. Why, you ask? One word: Exams. Haha.

Steven went around telling people that I won the challenge. Thank you Stevo! It’s nice to know I was able to do something not many people can (except maybe Lay Kheng, who until now refuses to buy a smart phone. You go girl!) Steven asked how the experience was. Honestly, I actually felt calmer; but that could probably because I live in oblivion.*Grins*

I surrendered my phones on Thursday 11^th July and got them back on Tuesday 16^th July. What I have learnt in the 5 days

1. My mom’s phone number. I memorized it!

 

2. I take way too many useless selcas which take up space in my phones. I kept thinking about taking photos for the first few days.

 

3. My friends and students need my phones more than I do.

I’m like, “No phone? Meh!” *shrugs*

They’re like, “Do you know how troublesome it is to get you? Get it back!”

4. When my phones were switched on, those who hardly text me would send me multiple messages. For example, I’ve been waiting for a text from a particular friend for weeks. You know when messages from this friend finally came? First day of my phone challenge. Pfft! (No Sharifah, it’s not you. Don’t worry.)

5. My phones weigh a lot. There is a significant weight increase when I put them in my bag today. Boy, they’re heavy.

This has been a great experience. To everyone affected, sorry for the inconvenience. Will I never do this again? No promises. We’ll see. ;)

PS: Masturah, congratulations for surviving 3 days without your mobile. Yay! *Claps claps claps*

Day 2: Ignorance is bliss

“I was going to message you, then I remembered you don’t have your phone” was the most often heard lament directed at me today. *Laughs*I think my not having mobile phones is making it difficult for other people, more than myself. My colleague said this: ‘Other people find that the mobile phone is a necessity to look for you.’ I actually find it a little amusing that there are people running around looking for me while I sit in silent contentment, blissfully unaware of it all. Dear colleagues, friends and students who are frustrated at not being able to contact me, I would like to say I'm sorry, but I'd be lying. So I won't. *Grins but feels a little bad. Just a little* 

If you haven’t already guessed, my second day of being mobile phoneless went pretty uneventfully. I think. I only catch myself subconsciously reaching into my bag for the cell phones twice. The first time was in the early morning at the bus stop, to check when the next bus was coming. The second time was when I was watching my students play Ultimate Frisbee and I wanted to take a picture. When I realised I don’t have them, I just asked someone else to do it.
 

Come to think of it, this would be a good excuse to not do quite a few things, eh? Call who? Sorry no phone. You sent me a message to do what? Aaahhh…sorry didn’t get it. No phone. Take photo for the Class Spirit Award? Marcus, take photo!
 

Steven emailed me an article about the Joy of Quiet by Pico Iyer and I found it rather reflective. It is, in a nutshell about being disconnected from the world. The author mentions how he has “yet to use a cellphone, never Twittered or entered Facebook.” Now I can’t boast of being able to do that. The internet is necessary for me, for work, if not for anything else.
 

However, that article made me think a lot about the things I do. How many of us find ourselves checking our phones ever so often, even when it does not ring/beep? I do. I have this fear that there is a text or a call that came in which I didn’t notice. The first thing I do when I get back to my table in the staffroom after lessons is to check my phones. I do that too after I went to the washroom or have a shower. At mealtimes, I have them next to my plate; when I watch tv in the living room, they are placed right in front of me at the coffee table and when I do my work, they are strategically propped on each side of my laptop so I just need to look left or right if there’s a notification. My life revolved around them. *Stares into space for a while as that thought sinks in*

I’ll be honest. I do miss my phones. It feels unnatural not having something in my hand, swiping at the screen to check things. It feels awkward not being able to tap at the calendar, see all the appointment dates and deadlines and tell someone I have to be at this place at this time for this thing so we need to reschedule. Still……..I am beginning to appreciate the silence. Maybe, I’ll extend the three days to five. Hmmm…

I do not NEED my mobile phones: Day 1

The most difficult thing for me today was waking up. Haha. I’m used to having multiple alarms ringing in my ears before I would roll off the bed. This morning, my mom had to do it. She resumed the duty she had abandoned years ago. *Reminder: Look for alarm clock.

Surprisingly, the person who was most concerned and alarmed about me going mobile phoneless for a few days was my dad. He went, “No lah, cannot. What if we need to call you? If emergency how?”

I told him they can call me in school. Where else would I be? He said he didn’t know my school’s contact number. For the first time in 2 years, I actually had to look for my box of name cards. I never thought I would need to ever give my name card to my own parents.

In the morning, as I was getting ready for school, it occurred to me that I do not know my mom’s mobile number. I mean, have it stored in my mobile phone, like all other numbers, but I don’t really know it, you know? I used to memorise people’s phone numbers very well; sometimes my mom would ask for my relatives’ numbers and I could rattle them off immediately. Now the only numbers I remember is my residential line and Comfort Cab. That’s sad!

I gave my mom a notebook and told her to write down her number, my dad’s and my brothers’ before I left the house. I think I should start memorising numbers now. I think I would feel good if I know someone knows my number by heart. I should do that for my family members at least.

I know I mentioned that I would leave my phones with my cat or my mom, in my previous post. However, I decided later that I would let a colleague keep it, just to ensure that no one would think I would cheat and use them secretly. The person chosen was the one who threw me the challenge, Steven Teo (Another mention, Stevo. I’ll make you famous. Keke)

I think he may have been taken aback at my willingness and seriousness in giving up my phones and put them in his hands for safe keeping. Yes, it sounded crazy but yah, I did it. He kept them locked up and asked, “You sure you won’t be tempted?”

I told him I am absolutely sure I wouldn’t break open his cupboard but he better makes sure he is around on Monday morning to return them to me. Yep. A weekend without the mobile phones. I think I surprised him with that. I think I even surprised myself.

This is my observation about my behaviour for the day:

1.       I actually look at my watch now to check the time. I realise, most of the time, it is just an accessory on my left hand.

2.       I make sure I turn up on time for my appointments. I know my students or colleagues cannot call me on my mobile phone to check where I am and I cannot tell them if I’m late so to prevent a wild goose chase, I just arrive at the place I am supposed to be at that particular time. Punctuality is key. (Hmm…I should go home on time too so my parents don’t worry).

3.       I check my emails. *Laughs* To the people whom I have not replied to for days/months: Sorry.

Right now, the only thing I miss is my ringtone (Nuriahtu would understand why). It’s evening and I think I have survived today. Yes, I know the day is not over, but what’s wrong with optimism, eh? I can do this!

Note: Efi and Afiza, I’m sorry you have failed the challenge so early but it’s okay. You’ve tried. Masturah, let’s give ourselves a cheer. Woohoo!

I do not NEED my mobile phones: An experiment.

A few days ago I asked my students to do this question for their essay:

Mobile phones are becoming a necessity today. Do you agree?

I shan’t get into the details of their responses but of the 54 essays I received, 43 said that mobile phones are a necessity. They went on and on about how it is a necessary tool because without it they cannot function (I rephrased but that is essentially what they meant.) 

 

I beg to differ. Is it a useful gadget? Yes, definitely. Does it help you do things faster and with ease? I would be foolish to say otherwise. Is it a necessity? I don’t think so.

Now when I said this to my students, they gave me this look which very clearly said, “Pfft! Yah right!”

I said the same thing to my colleague too and the incredulous look came at me, left, right and centre. In the midst of a discussion over this issue, a colleague threw me a challenge. (Say hello, Steven Teo. You got a mention in my blog J)

He said, “In order to see if the mobile phone is a necessity to you, why don’t you give me your phone and see how long you can survive?”

I accepted. Very bravely and with only a three-second hesitation.

So, ladies and gentlemen, for the next three days, I will go without my mobile phones (yes, I have two. *chuckles*). My communication with others will be in the form of face-to-face interaction and phone calls via the landline. I can use the internet to access emails, update my blog or talk to people via Facebook but only with the laptop in school or the PC at home. I will switch off my mobile phones and leave them in the safe hands of my cat. Or my mom, because both, I trust, will not turn it on and make long distance calls to Abu Dhabi just to spite me.

I can already hear the jeers and cynical comments. Patience, disbelievers (Yes, I’m talking to you, you teenage students of mine who BELIEVE that you will die without you mobile phones). I will show you that the only reason we think we need the phone is because mobile phone developers are very good at giving us a false impression of its ‘necessity’ in our lives.

To my friends and colleagues who would like to contact me, please email me or leave a note at my table (I’ll clean it, don’t worry). Don’t think I am dead because I don’t reply to your Whatsapp and sms okay? Wish me luck!

Note: Three brave girls from 4N7B have decided to join me in this experiment.

To Masturah, Efi: Hwaiting! We can do this!

To Afiza: Even if you are willing to only try it out for one day, you have earned my respect. Go, go!